News and Analysis
5 Reasons the Media Ignores (or Trashes) Your Brand
As someone who has sat on “both sides of the desk” (as a marketer and now a research analyst, trend spotter, and content creator), I have a unique perspective on media exposure. The right press — online, conventional, or some combination — feeds your public image when consumers search for your brand. What MULO (multi-location) […]
Report: Consumers Have Less Debt, More Uncertainty
The good news is that almost one-third of American adults are debt-free. The less good news is that inflation is on the uptick, and they’re worried about healthcare costs, and poor leadership and government fraud—with 42% of respondents giving equal weight to each issue. Nevertheless, according to Resonate’s Spring 2025 Outlook Consumer Trends Report, U.S. […]
Why Disney Gets Phygital Right
First, you’ll hear a lot of the term “phygital” (the convergence of physical and digital) throughout 2025. It’s the theme of our Street Fight LIVE Summit on September 18th. Although the term itself has been around for years, technology and devices have finally caught up to the word. Consumers expect brands to know them as […]
Commentary
Why the Annual Planning Process is Behind Before it Starts
From advancements in campaign measurement to performance and optimization, the digital advertising industry has consolidated decades worth of transformation to a matter of years. And while the pace of advertising investments has shifted and performance data becomes available more regularly across channels, the annual planning process for all media expenditures has remained, well, annual. In […]
Empowering Retailers: The Imperative for Advanced Advertising Technology
In a rapidly evolving retail landscape, staying ahead requires more than just offering great products or competitive prices. As consumers increasingly shift their shopping habits online and demand personalized experiences, retailers face mounting pressure to enhance their advertising strategies. Traditional methods no longer suffice in capturing the attention of today’s discerning shoppers. To thrive in […]
3 Ways to Battle Efficiency Headwinds in 2024
You don’t have to look too deep for significance there: measurement is tough right now (even for measurement companies), and fraud is rampant and stands to get worse as AI governance lags behind AI adoption. No matter how big your brand or what industry you’re in, efficiency is going to be a challenge in 2024. […]
Latest Posts
LG Ad Solutions Proves Screensaver Ads Drive Brand Engagement
LG Ad Solutions, a leader in Connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen advertising, has unveiled a new ad format called Native Screensaver Ads. Available on LG Smart TVs, these full-screen ads appear during periods of inactivity across the Home Screen, LG Channels, and the Content Store. By capitalizing on idle screen time, these ads transform what […]
The C-Store Five: Consumers Love These Convenience Store Brands
As we’ve covered in Street Fight, the C-store (convenience store) is a MULO (multi-location) category that is having a moment—a huge moment. Formerly viewed as the corner bodega or the highway stop for gas, smokes, emergency items, a beverage, and a bathroom break, C-stores are starting to play a more prominent role in the retail […]
Streets Ahead: AI Overviews and Organic Search, Google Core Update Concludes
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at recent changes in AI Overviews as well as the conclusion of Google’s August Core Update. AI Overviews Now Better Reflecting Google Organic Search Results The News Recent research by Mark Traphagen and seoClarity shows that AI Overviews (AIOs) are now closely mirroring Google’s organic search results. After […]
How Criteo Uses AI for Retail and the Customer Journey
Criteo is a global commerce media platform with one of the largest retail media footprints (200 retailers worldwide, including half of the top-25 in the U.S. and 2,300+ brands). Criteo’s retail media business activates around $1 billion in media spend. Criteo partners with major retailers like Best Buy, Macy’s, Dollar General, travel companies, automotive brands, […]
MULO Brands With Soul August Pick: Sheetz
C-stores are a MULO (multi-location) brand category that often doesn’t get enough attention. Also known as convenience stores, the industry encompasses roadside retailers and neighborhood chains that we frequently rely on for last-minute grocery purchases, emergency items, and snacks/beverages. Given the transactional nature of these businesses, we don’t often consider them to have a “culture.” But Sheetz […]
Ad Costs and Spending are Both on the Rise, According to Skai Study
Omnichannel advertising platform Skai recently published its Q2 2024 Digital Marketing Quarterly Trends Report. It reveals topline growth numbers in retail media, paid search, and paid social were all positive, maintaining similar levels to those reported by Skai last quarter. The analysis found that advertisers paid more for clicks and impressions in Q2 2024, but […]
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…
When Mark Ballard, Director of Research at Tinuiti, first looked at the results of a holiday shopping survey it conducted recently, he was struck by one recurring theme: “People expect to spend more on holiday gifts this year than last year,” Ballard said. “What did surprise me is the degree to which inflation is still top of […]
Keen Partners with TapClicks to Simplify Data Collection for Marketers
Keen Decision Systems, a marketing mix SaaS company, recently announced a partnership with TapClicks, to streamline data collection for marketing mix models. This collaboration aims to make it easier for marketers, particularly smaller brands, to gather, organize, and analyze their data efficiently, removing significant challenges in the marketing decision-making process. Addressing a Common Challenge for […]
Beware the Small Screen: Consumers Resist Mobile Shopping, Says Megan Hastings
A new report from Quantum Metric reveals that mobile commerce hasn’t fully bloomed. In fact, Quantum Metric calls mobile the “awkward middle schooler of digital commerce.” The report reveals that consumers have mixed emotions about leveraging mobile commerce in retail, travel, and financial services. 75% browse on a mobile device at least 2+ times a day, but just 26% buy […]
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