News and Analysis
Kindness (and Nature) Still Rule for Justin Freeman
Our column “Brands With Soul” comes alive on September 30th at Street Fight LIVE 2025, when a panel that includes Justin Freeman, Managing Director at the KINDR Foundation, takes the stage. As the search for retention of (human) talent becomes more important in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem, company culture and leadership behaviors can make all […]
I “Cooked Up” the Term MULO
I’ve been writing profiles of all our MULO speakers and sponsors for Street Fight LIVE 2025, so why not include a little something about myself as well? After all, I will be chairing, emceeing and had the pleasure to line up many of this year’s speakers. If you’re reading this and are interested in scoring […]
Scoring Goals in the Franchise Ecosystem with Gregory Ugwi
Gregory Ugwi is back for his second year speaking at Street Fight LIVE. And what a year it’s been! The company he co-founded, Wefranch, has given both franchisors and prospective franchisees a tech-powered way to start and scale. This year, Gregory Ugwi hosted a series of events to bring major brand franchises together with individuals […]
Commentary
The Fastest-Growing Gyms Rely on Customer Intelligence to Win
The beginning of the year is a big moment for gyms, with some reporting more than a quarter of their annual signups in January alone. But keeping those customers is a different story. With the FTC’s new click-to-cancel rule making it easier than ever to cancel gym memberships, gyms must rely on deep customer intelligence […]
2025 Marketing: Trends That Will Redefine Success
As 2025 begins, rapid advancements in AI and evolving consumer expectations are reshaping marketing. Gartner predicts that 30% of outbound email messages from large organizations will soon be synthetically generated. For marketers, the challenge lies in embracing these changes while keeping the customer at the center. Here are some of the trends I believe will […]
Continuously Adapting as Your Target Audience Evolves
PR professionals establish their clients’ campaigns on proven strategies, but they also adapt those strategies as campaigns unfold to make sure they are performing optimally. One factor that can significantly impact how they adapt strategies is the evolution of the client’s perfect target audience. Identifying the perfect target audience is one of the earliest steps […]
Latest Posts
Data Drama: Why Your Insights Are All Talk and No Action
Data has become the backbone of modern marketing, promising brands the ability to predict trends, personalize experiences, and drive customer loyalty like never before. For multi-location businesses, the stakes are especially high. With endless streams of customer data pouring in from numerous locations, the expectation to turn this information into actionable insights seems like the […]
Just Salad Tosses in AI & Personalization
We know that consumers are okay with personalization and targeting, providing it adds value to their lives and saves them time. A whopping 64 percent of consumers report liking custom-tailored experiences. Just Salad was founded in 2006 and now has more than 90 locations. I remember being excited when the fast-casual chain opened in New […]
More Than a Comfy Bed: What Makes a Great MULO Hotel Brand?
We may not think of a hotel or a motel in the same light as retailers and restaurants. However, they are still MULO (multi-location) brands. Consumers search for them, consider their ratings, and make selections based on a wide range of factors. NerdWallet just published its list of “best hotel brands” for 2025. The criteria […]
Move Along, TikTok; Gen Z Is Growing Up
With the fate of TikTok in the U.S. changing almost daily, Gen Z is moving on. As generational demographic groups age, their relationship to the Web changes. This generation, those born between 1997 and 2012, has reached the stage of wanting deep learning and reliable information that is less about entertainment and more about life […]
Will the Privacy Push Kill the Addressability of Streaming TV Advertising?
As ad-supported streaming platforms gain momentum, they promise to revolutionize advertising by offering unprecedented addressability—tailoring ads to individual viewers based on their interests. However, this promise is at risk of being derailed by privacy regulations and the limitations of contextual targeting, which may force the industry to revert to strategies reminiscent of traditional TV. For […]
3 Trends & Stats from Pew Research Center Every MULO Marketer Needs to Know
Pew Research is one of my favorite sources of detailed and reliable consumer trends. (Unlike some media, Street Fight actually DOES fact-check! 🙂 ). New data released by the company has implications for all brands, but especially for MULO (multi-location) operators and agencies as we head into the new year. here are the trends that […]
Streets Ahead: TikTok Past the Ban, Global AI Adoption
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the current status of TikTok and global AI adoption trends TikTok Past the Ban The News TikTok went offline for U.S. users on the evening of Saturday, January 18, shortly before a 2024 law’s deadline took effect on Sunday. Sixteen hours later, on the morning of January […]
Screenverse President Assesses the RMN, DOOH, Programmatic Landscape
Adam Malone, co-Founder and President of Screenverse, predicts that retailers will all want to own and operate their own ad networks. Outside of the top 5-8 retailers, however, the vast majority of retailers would be best served teaming up and supporting third-party networks. This scenario may not become a reality in 2025, but Malone says […]
The Last 2025 Predictions Article You Need to Read
Admit it… We’re all getting a little tired of seeing the “Greatest Hits & Stats of 2024” and the “Predictions for 2025” articles that are proliferating throughout the media. And, most of us are now scrolling and scanning rather than spending massive amounts of time reading and ruminating. So here, in snackable form, is the […]
Beyond Burgers & Fries: 10 Fast Food Trends for 2025
Fast food and fast casual dining are massive categories within the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Although they are related, fast casual dining usually entails sit-down service and more menu options, whereas fast food usually entails a smaller list of choices and different ambiance. Options for hamburgers, pizza, wings, tacos, and other “grab and go” foods exist […]
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