News and Analysis
dataplor Secures $20.5M Series B to Expand Global Location Intelligence
In another milestone for the rapidly evolving location intelligence sector, dataplor has announced a $20.5 million Series B funding round led by F-Prime, with participation from Spark Capital, FFVC, Acronym Venture Capital, Two Lanterns, APA Ventures, dara5, and Alumni Ventures. The investment marks a pivotal moment for the Manhattan Beach-based company as it accelerates the […]
Innovid Report: CTV Ad Spend Should Be Higher
Ad spending in CTV is not near what it should be given its potential and sophisticated targeting, reach, and ad formats, according to a report by Innovid, which recently released its 2025 CTV Advertising Insights Report. Citing data from eMarketer, the Innovid report noted that while eyeballs and time spent on streaming content among viewers […]
95% of Your Customers Do This with AI and Humans, According to SOCi
“AI Suggests, Humans Decide!” That’s the bold statement that emerged from the SOCi 2025 Consumer Behavior Index (CBI). The company warns Brands to “embrace” human validation or get left behind. The study validated the importance of TikTok, Instagram, and real human experiences to determine spending choices. Although 19% of consumers are using AI tools themselves […]
Commentary
Streets Ahead: Google Monopoly Ruling, AIO Declines
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at what’s next after the Google monopoly ruling as well as the continued decline in Google AI Overviews (AIO). Google Monopoly Ruling: What’s Next After the DOJ’s Landmark Decision? The News Last week, we reported on a significant development in the lawsuit filed against Google by the […]
What’s Old was New at This Year’s Upfronts
This year’s Upfronts mirrored the changes taking place in the industry as there was a greater focus on streamers, with Netflix, Amazon and YouTube dominating headlines and generating more buzz than their broadcast and cable counterparts. Despite the industry’s desire to embrace new technologies and fully enter the streaming era, progress from years past appears […]
Streets Ahead: Google DOJ Ruling and Google’s Search Dominance
In this week’s Streets Ahead update from SOCi, we learn about the Google DOJ ruling and AI’s effect on Google’s search dominance Google Ruled a Monopoly in DOJ Case In a 2020 lawsuit, the Department of Justice and several state attorneys general accused Google of maintaining a monopoly, leading to a ruling by federal judge […]
Latest Posts
Street Fight LIVE Insights: Stopping at C-Stores with Mike Templeton
Some people collect snow globes or stickers on road trips. Others boast that they’ve seen all the National Parks. Still others have a thing for selfies in front of weird vintage structures. But Mike Templeton, one of the speakers at Street Fight LIVE stops at and collects insights from convenience stores (C-stores), the unsung heroes […]
The MULO Dozen: November in Review
As November and 2024 draws to a close, news from MULO (multi-location) brands has hardly slowed down! In fact, this season is a make-or-break for retailers, restaurants, C-stores, and service businesses as consumers travel near and far to eat, shop, and squeeze in those errands before the year ends. Of course, the biggest news of […]
Tinuiti’s CMO Tips for 2025
As if Google doesn’t have enough headaches, between the DOJ trial and calls for it to be broken up, now it has to contend with ChatGPT and Perplexity, which could destroy its search business. Those blue links of highlighted text curated on a Google search are becoming an endangered species, according Tinuiti’s Big Bets for […]
Streets Ahead: Evolution of Search, Social Platforms and Links
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the AI driven evolution of search and explores the potential that social platforms are restricting the reach of posts with links. AI and the Evolution of Search The News Semrush, in partnership with Statista, has released a comprehensive report on the role of generative AI in th […]
How Retail Media and Performance Media are Shaping the Future of Brand Strategy
Shifting consumer behavior is driving a profound shift in how brands approach their marketing strategies. The once distinct silos of retail and performance media are no longer functioning as separate components of a brand’s advertising toolkit. Instead, they are converging into a unified framework that reflects the complex, nonlinear shopping journey of today’s consumer. This […]
Toilets, Termites, and Terraces: A $1.2 Trillion Opportunity
When we think of franchise businesses and other MULO (multi-location) operations, we tend to think of retail, restaurant, convenience stores, and service businesses like walk-in clinics and tax prep services. But a huge category exists called home services. Although many of these operations do not require brick-and-mortar locations (beyond a co-working space or small office […]
What Innovid Brings to the Mediaocean Table
Once the Mediaocean acquisition of Innovid (for upwards of $500 million) goes through, the company will have one tough tech stack. “Being able to manage everything from Meta to TikTok to Snap, to now Reddit, is the latest one,” said Mediaocean CMO Aaron Goldman. Managing ads inside walled gardens is something that Flashtalking does very […]
MULO Brands With Soul November Picks: The Season of Giving
Rather than single out one brand this month, we will focus on how several MULO (multi-location) brands are leaning into giving this holiday season with tie-ins to philanthropic efforts. Aligning a brand with a specific charitable effort can be risky, so doing due diligence before selecting a cause is imperative today. You certainly don’t want […]
Does Holiday Ad Spend Pay Off? (And Early Indicators from Skai)
As we publish this, Black Friday is less than 48 hours away. Although data shows that people are now taking advantage of year-round sale days, the next week is still considered a “big boost” time for many MULO (multi-location) brands and the agencies that buy their media. According to up-to-the-minute ad buying data from advertising […]
Raptive Survey: Cleaning Is a Top Holiday Stressor
There is no rest for weary creators during the holiday season, but opportunities for brands abound. Raptive, a media platform that works with enterprise publishers and more than 5,000 creators, conducted a survey recently of more than 300 creators and more than 600 consumers about various topics related to the holiday season. Publishing verticals included […]
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