News and Analysis
New DoubleVerify Report Should Alarm Advertisers
Online advertising now represents nearly $800 billion in spending in 2025, up from a $374 billion market size in 2020. What else is up this year? A new report from DoubleVerify confirms the increases in fraud, AI bots, and ad blocking. Among the highlights for the North America market, based on a survey of 400 advertising […]
5 MULO (Multi-Location) Trends We Can’t Ignore
We’re more than halfway through the year, and the consumer (and its artificial intelligence equivalents) have spoken! The MULO (multi-location) ecosystem is poised for a significant transformation. MULO comprises restaurants, retail, home and personal services businesses, hospitality, convenience stores, groceries, branded housing complexes, and other companies that have multiple brick-and-mortar locations. Here are some of […]
Are Discount Stores and Outlet Malls Still Relevant?
Long before Amazon, consumers would make excursions to factory outlet malls and wander the aisles of stores like Loehmann’s, seeking the ultimate bargain. Bargain shopping remains a great American pastime, and thrifting and upscale second-hand stores have joined the mix, alongside big-box, high-volume membership stores like Costco. Among the MULO (multi-location) discount store brands today […]
Commentary
From Pumpkin Spice to Prime Days: The Erosion of the Traditional Shopping Calendar
For years, shopping seasons were predictable. Black Friday, Back to School, and the holiday season provided distinct markers for consumers and retailers alike. Today, these events have blurred, creating an “always-on” shopping environment. Seasonal promotions now begin months ahead – Pumpkin Spice Lattes in August, Christmas decorations in September, and multiple annual Prime Days. This […]
Streets Ahead: ChatGPT and the Rise of AI Overviews
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the newly launched search feature in ChatGPT and the rise of AI Overviews for Google local search results. OpenAI’s New Search Feature Transforms ChatGPT The News OpenAI has introduced a new feature that brings real-time web search capabilities to ChatGPT, marking a significant upgrade from its previous reliance […]
Streets Ahead: Meta’s AI Search Engine, Foursquare Shutters App
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, we discuss Meta building an AI search engine and Foursquare shuttering it’s original app. Meta Building an AI Search Engine? The News Meta has reportedly been developing its own AI search engine, aiming to crawl and index the web for up-to-date information on current events and diverse topics to expand […]
Latest Posts
Social Media: The Missing Puzzle Piece for Performance Media Success
Brand loyalty has evolved into a cornerstone of sustained success, rooted in emotional connections, trust and shared values rather than just prices or products. Loyal customers do more than return—they advocate, creating ripple effects that amplify a brand’s reach and resonance. In the commerce media, social media has become a pivotal tool for addressing gaps […]
Streets Ahead: Tiktok Ban Looming, Trial Reels
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the looming TikTok ban and the Instagram roll out of Trial Reels. TikTok Ban Looming The News The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled on Friday in favor of the government, affirming that TikTok must divest from its parent company, ByteDance, by January […]
LoopMe Acquires Chartboost from Zynga, Driving AI-Powered Brand Advertising
LoopMe, a leader in AI-driven brand advertising, announced the acquisition of Chartboost, a prominent mobile advertising and monetization platform, from Zynga Inc., a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO). This strategic move cements the company’s position in leveraging artificial intelligence to deliver measurable outcomes for brands while expanding its influence in mobile app and […]
Grubhub Uses Donuts To Entice Local Sign-ups
When Grubhub wanted to let people know how its partnership with Amazon will work, it chose to activate in a pop-up event in Pioneer Park section of Chicago last month. Using a 12-foot inflatable donut to attract attention, the event was in support of Grubhub’s Delivery’s Other Half campaign in which Amazon Prime members do […]
The Humans Behind the Data at Placer Discover
Year-end can be a challenging time to bring a group of business professionals together for one final conference. Seasonal obligations, meeting fatigue, and EOY pressures are convenient excuses to skip that trip to New York. Unless, of course, the event organizer is Placer.ai. Location analytics hardly seems like a merry topic, but the organizing team behind Placer […]
Why MULO Brands Should Consider a Neighborhood-Level Marketing Strategy
Enhanced digital marketing tools are making it easier to connect with local audiences at scale. One of the most effective ways to leverage these tools is through a neighborhood-level marketing strategy, a highly focused approach to targeting specific neighborhoods instead of broader, more generalized areas. Particularly for multi-location businesses, embracing local methods can help engage […]
What’s Shwell in Attracting Hourly Workers?
No, that’s not a typo. MULO (multi-location) convenience store (C-store) brand Sheetz is opening a massive “Shwellness Center” across the street from one of its major locations in Pennsylvania. This center will offer some of the lifestyle benefits of its current Shwellness center (see below), as well as routine medical appointments, physical therapy, and behavior […]
Know Your Client’s Target Audience
Maximizing the impact of your communications — whether in marketing, public relations, or any other approach used to share a brand story — requires paying close attention to context. Without considering context, brands risk coming across as irrelevant or untrustworthy, even when they have a solid solution to a consumer problem. When context is properly […]
The Freezer Beyond the Grocery & C-Store
Cryotherapy is one of the latest categories to scale in the health, wellness, and longevity space. In this column, we’ve detailed how brick-and-mortar businesses have expanded far beyond the typical gym as the population ages and become more concerned about staying healthy longer. Highly specialized brands and franchises are offering body-related services like IVs. I […]
The Future Role of Agencies: Redefining Success with AI, Software, and Automation
The agency landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by the growing reliance on AI, automated software, and modular technology stacks. Traditional models—built on labor-intensive execution and service-heavy financial structures—are rapidly evolving as agencies step into roles that blend technology, strategy, and consulting. This evolution represents an opportunity for agencies to lead with innovation, leveraging […]
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