News and Analysis
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 […]
Commentary
How to Increase Social Media Engagement in 2024
Brands have a bigger marketing challenge today arguably than ever before because consumers are more skeptical about advertising than previously. Not only are they turning away from brand-created content on social media, but most of them also no longer trust influencers. That’s why increasing social media engagement and using social media effectively to promote brands […]
The Demise of Third-Party Cookies is CTV’s Opportunity to Shine
On January 4th, we finally reached the beginning of the end of third-party cookies (for real this time?) On that date, Google Chrome began removing 3rd party cookies from 1% of traffic. By the end of the year, 3rd party cookies will be completely eliminated from Chrome and opening a new opportunity for CTV. This […]
Navigating the Post-Cookie Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities for Brands
Google’s long-awaited post-cookie world is now here, with the company officially turning off cookies for 1% of Chrome users last month. The loss of third-party cookies means that brands will lose one of the most frequently used ways to identify potential target audiences on the open web. Post-cookie, brands will have to find different ways […]
Latest Posts
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 […]
The MULO Retail (R)Evolution: 5 Keys to Success
Retail is far from dead, despite the rise of online commerce. It’s just evolving — in some cases radically. The media is often filled with stories of MULO (multi-location) retailers declaring bankruptcy and/or shuttering locations. But, at the same time, new brands and categories are emerging and expanding. Fast Company recently featured new brands, including […]
Should MULO Brands Jump Into the U.S. Political Battleground?
As we know, brands are known for newsjacking and momentjacking. But what happens when that moment is a hotly-contested U.S. election? Today’s political climate has implications for brands and MULO (multi-location) retailers, and restaurants. Seemingly Safe Encouraging consumers to vote, regardless of their political leanings, appears to be OK, provided it is well done. In […]
Spotzer and Adplorer Partner, Ad-Tech Collaborations Continue
In a recent strategic move, Spotzer announced a partnership with Adplorer, integrating Adplorer’s ad-serving technology into SpotzerAds. This collaboration will help Spotzer’s enterprise partners and agencies, by improving ad-serving capabilities, supporting platforms like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and LinkedIn. Adplorer, with over 14 years of experience and €750 million in managed ad spend, complements Spotzer’s extensive […]
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