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GumGum Helps Marketers Reach Gamers with Intrinsic In-Game Ads

A new partnership between the contextual-first digital ad platform GumGum and Frameplay, a company that enables intrinsic in-game advertising, could give multi-location brands a way to reach gamers in select markets while also enhancing the playing experience for those seeking more in-game rewards.

Can Apple’s Room Plan Bring Visual Commerce to Local Businesses?

The AR world’s disappointment about smart glasses in the wake of WWDC has overshadowed the fact that there were notable AR developments at the event. Besides subtle signals throughout, Apple announced a new mobile room-scanning tool known as RoomPlan that could democratize AR creation.

New Hires at Anyline, TextNow, and Braze

The Street Fight new hires roundup features movers and shakers in adtech, martech, e-commerce, localized marketing, location intelligence, and more. This month’s roundup features new hires at Anyline, TextNow, and Braze.

Commentary

Free and Premium Loyalty Programs Can and Should Coexist

Brands like Lululemon and Restoration Hardware have strong, headline-making loyalty programs with annual fees upwards of $100. But thousands of brands also have free, points-based loyalty programs — can the two coexist in a single brand? 

The short answer: Yes. With shoppers’ desire for richer experiences and more valuable rewards and retailers’ need to gather data to support these desires, a blend of both premium and free loyalty is an advantageous route. 

Converting Prospects to Customers Through Event Marketing

The marketing journey is not as predictable as it once was, and there are potential roadblocks to conversion at every stage within the funnel. Today’s buyers have access to high-quality information about products and services through digital media, so they’re not reliant on the sellers for insights. In the most successful companies, sales and marketing organizations overcome these roadblocks together. They work in concert to generate brand awareness, educate prospects, forge relationships, and ultimately to turn prospects into customers. Event marketing plays a key role in these efforts. 

3 Data Trends to Watch in 2020

Data-driven marketing investments are growing rapidly. In the US, data spend grew almost $3 billion in the last year. Not surprisingly, the number of data-related challenges has increased as well. 2019 saw privacy regulations usher in broad changes across the ecosystem, causing widespread concerns around the future of data-driven targeting. 

Ahead of the new year, we identified three key trends to look out for. These trends — as well as some proactive steps companies can take today — will set up data partners for success in 2020 and beyond. 

Latest Posts

Brand Battle: The Body Shop vs Bath & Body Works

Sponsored: To see how two personal care brands—The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works—stacked up in a competitive marketplace, digital marketing company Brandify used its proprietary software to see which marketing and branding areas stood out as strengths and which areas fell short.

LBMA Podcast: GetMiles, GrubHub & LevelUp, Jido Maps

On This Week in Location Based Marketing: Jido Maps, the National Park Service, VR waterslide in Germany, GetMiles, Guess? + Alipay, GrubHub buys LevelUp.

Square Announces SDK, Opening Its Platform Directly to Developers for First Time

Recognizing and looking to capitalize on the fact that some businesses may have needs its own software does not exhaust, Square announced on Thursday the release of the Square Reader SDK, which will allow developers serving brands and SMBs around the world to redesign the check-out experience in exactly the right way for their specific businesses.

Prime Day Powers Industry-Wide Boost in Mobile App Downloads for Retailers

Amazon’s mid-July Prime Day powered not only sales at local businesses and direct purchases on Amazon’s rival retailer sites but also spikes in mobile app downloads for those retailers, according to data released today by mobile app marketing company Liftoff.

After Downgrading Publishers, Facebook Explores New Ways to Boost Them

We all remember the seemingly apocalyptic early 2018 announcement that Facebook would downgrade publishers in favor of foregrounding posts from users’ family and friends. Less discussed are the various changes Facebook has made since that announcement to give publishers on its platform a fighting chance.

Stronger Bklyner Helps Keep ‘News Desert’ at Bay in NYC’s Biggest Borough

In this Q&A, Liena Zagare tells how Bklyner came back from the abyss this year and why, after flipping her business model to rely on her readers for revenue, she’s confident the digital pure-play she founded and edits will stay strong and help maintain Brooklyn as a news oasis.

With SimpleOrder Acquisition, Upserve Digs Into Back-House Operations

In a year that’s been marked by consolidation across the hyperlocal marketing space, Upserve’s recent acquisition of SimpleOrder should come as no surprise. It mirrors another hyperlocal acquisition announced just this week: full-suite marketing company Cheetah Digital’s purchase of loyalty specialist Stellar Loyalty.

Street Fight Daily: Facebook Updates Ad Measurement Practices, Mobile Audiences Skyrocket

TODAY IN LOCAL & DIGITAL MARKETING… Facebook Updates Its Ad Measurement Arsenal With New and Revised Video Metrics… Mobile Audiences Soar as Advertisers Struggle to Keep Up… With SimpleOrder Acquisition, Upserve Digs Into Back-House Operations…

If We Only Opened Facebook’s App for ‘Time Well Spent,’ Would We Use It Much At All?

If Facebook’s advertisers’ most coveted users are opening its app mainly to scroll through News Feed while waiting for lattés or click on the stray cat video, and if the company truly wants time spent on its app to be “time well spent,” does its core mission even have a viable future?

SendtoNews Aims to Guarantee Brand Safety for Advertisers

Publishers like Facebook and YouTube often cause consternation for advertisers over brand safety. Content delivery and advertising company SendtoNews promises to change that state of affairs with its service. “We’re completely brand safe,” said CEO Matthew Watson.