News and Analysis
Basis and Mediaocean Aim to Automate the Full Media Lifecycle
In an advertising ecosystem increasingly defined by fragmentation, operational complexity, and rising pressure for accountability, automation has moved from incremental improvement to strategic necessity. That shift is at the heart of a new integration partnership between Basis and Mediaocean, which together are seeking to automate the entire media lifecycle , from planning and activation through […]
Think National, Speak Local: Why Content Localization Drives Brand Trust
Brands earn attention when they sound like they belong. For national organizations, that sense of belonging doesn’t happen by accident. Content localization is the bridge between a big brand promise and a personal, community-level connection. It’s how a national healthcare message resonates in a small-town clinic, or how a nonprofit mission becomes a topic of […]
Turning Reviews Into Intelligence: How Agencies Can Unlock Multi-Location Insights
For agencies managing multi-location businesses, reviews are no longer just a ranking factor or a measure of reputation. In today’s AI-driven local search ecosystem, reviews have evolved into a rich source of actionable intelligence — a tool that agencies can use to uncover operational issues, inform marketing strategies, and fine-tune brand messaging across locations. Treating […]
Commentary
Setting the Record Straight on Curation
Curation is dominating conversations in the advertising world right now, and while it is not an entirely new concept, it still comes with misperceptions and confusion. Our industry’s desire to succinctly define curation, assign responsibility for it, and spell out guidelines and best practices is understandable—yet also challenging. But curation is more than a buzzword […]
Streets Ahead: Google Business Profile Reverifications and Meta Chatbots
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discuss the issues regarding Google reverifications and explores Meta’s roll out of AI Chatbot features. Google Business Profile Reverifications The News In early March, the SEO community noticed a significant increase in locations requiring reverification on Google Business Profile, prompting many to temporarily halt updates. Last week, Google […]
The Rise of AI Ad Buying Agents: A Marketer’s Perspective
AI-driven ad buying is not new. From Google Ads’ “set-it-and-forget-it” approach to Meta’s dynamic audience targeting, the goal has always been to automate away the tedium of bidding and targeting. But with the more recent advancements in generative AI and deep learning, the promise is morphing into something more expansive: real-time, hyper-personalized ads that match […]
Latest Posts
10 Design Offers Four MULO Design Principles for Brick-and-Mortar
10 Design is an architectural design firm that has created retail spaces (and mixed-use complexes) globally. 10 Design asserts, “Brick and mortar retail isn’t dying. It’s evolving. The most successful retail spaces today merge commerce, culture, and community, turning shopping into an immersive experience.” That principle can be applied to MULO (multi-location) retail design in […]
A BOOM and a BUST: Harry & David & Hooters
Openings, expansions, and bankruptcies are standard fare in the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant space. This month, we saw one significant opening and one bankruptcy declaration in the MULO ecosystem. Harry & David recently announced they are getting back into the retail game. This 91-year-old seller of gift baskets and gourmet food items shuttered most of its […]
Aquarium Ad Is a 3D Fish Out of Water
First its ads had a Super Bowl presence earlier this year. Now the Georgia Aquarium is going big in out-of-home. A creative campaign by Doe-Anderson, an agency in Kentucky, launched two executions in Atlanta to let the locals know they have one of the country’s great aquariums right in their backyard. If you find yourself […]
The Future is Here: A More Collaborative, AI-Enabled, Creatively Driven Industry
The advertising industry is in a period of accelerated transformation. What were once incremental shifts are now crystallizing into clear priorities — moving from hypothetical or expected into real and transactional. Consolidation around media-agnostic, AI-driven systems and the integration of creative and media processes are no longer future goals — they’re actively reshaping the way […]
Adaptive Checkout Uses AI to Boost Conversion Rates
Fraud and crime are realities of the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Brands used to just have to worry about the checkout stage with shoplifting, dishonest employees, and fake IDs and credit cards. Now that we’re living in a phygital world (one that combines brick-and-mortar and online sales), thieves, fraudsters, and AI-powered bots have become more sophisticated. […]
A Street Fight Trend-Spotter Walked Into a Bar ….
Well, not exactly. We attended the Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas to check out trends and products for the MULO (multi-location) bar and restaurant ecosystem. The trends we spotted include: Although liquor is still popular, mocktails are having a moment. Studies indicate that Americans are choosing moderation in their drinking habits and non-alcoholic […]
Crossing the Border With Sushi and More
Edo is a 45-year-old brand that began in Calgary, crossed the Canadian border to Arizona this month, and has bold expansion plans for the U.S. About a million Canadians visit Arizona annually and contribute about $800 million to its economy, so choosing the hot state for its first U.S. location makes business sense. Among some […]
Franchise Growth in 2025: 5 Insights That Could Define Your Future
Franchise businesses represent the backbone of many local economies, contributing not only to the convenience and options we enjoy but also to significant employment growth across the country. In an economy shaped by rapid technological change, evolving consumer behavior, and rising operational costs, franchises are facing both tremendous opportunity and unprecedented complexity. At Cinch, our […]
Karla Jo Helms Preps MULO Brands for the Impact of Tariffs
Karla Jo Helms runs an agency — JOTO PR Disruptors — that describes itself as “the anti-PR agency.” What does that actually mean? They focus on facts and pragmatic guidance rather than just media hype. To that end, Helms advises brands that may be wondering how to best prepare for U.S. trade tariffs. What should […]
Uniting Marketing and Tech Teams to Unlock AI Success
The majority of marketing and tech teams have historically been siloed within organizations, with each focusing on their own goals and paths for execution. Now, as the adoption of AI to enhance customer experiences and drive greater results takes off, that separation is no longer sustainable. In fact, according to McKinsey, nearly 65% of marketers […]
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