News and Analysis
Shein, Temu Pull Back on U.S. Ads
There aren’t many surprises in Tinuiti’s Q1 Digital Ad Report, but retailers will be interested to know what Temu and Shein are up to. Both seem to be playing possum when it comes to digital ads in the U.S., according to Tinuiti. The performance marketing agency recently released insights around Temu’s sudden pullback from Google Shopping […]
The MULO Dozen: April in Review
In April, Karla Jo Helms of JOTO PR Disruptors called our media outlet a “must-read for MULO (multi-location) brands navigating the fast-changing terrain of local, digital, and retail.” To that end, we bring you 12 top stories of each month from the retail, restaurant, service, franchise, hospitality, and convenience store ecosystem. What these brands are […]
“Consumer Discovery is Now a Free-for-All” Declares SOCI in New Study
The SOCI 2025 Consumer Behavior Index (CBI) reveals that marketers need to shift gears when it comes to search, declaring the industry’s state “the marketing crisis you didn’t see coming.” The study has enormous implications, as traditional search is evolving rapidly. According to their late-breaking announcement based on the index, the strategies that MULO (multi-location) […]
Commentary
Embracing AI in Media and Advertising
History changes slowly and then overnight. A mere two years ago, the early publicly-available generative AI models from OpenAI, Microsoft, Google looked like curiosities–intriguing but plagued by obvious limitations. Today these models have advanced so far and so fast that they are already well on their way to changing media and advertising forever. AI is […]
Voices Amplified: How Consumers Are Rewriting the Rules for Brand Accountability
Today, consumer voices can be magnified across channels with the click of a button. The power of the consumer is undergoing a seismic shift, providing both opportunities and challenges to businesses around the world as they rewrite the “rules” of brand accountability. Traditional online review sites are no longer the only medium to share opinions. […]
As Cookies Crumble, Lotame Launches Solution to Help Digital Marketers
In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, the ability to harness and utilize data effectively is becoming even more important. Lotame has taken a significant step forward in enabling data collaboration with the launch of Lotame Collaborate and Lotame Onboarding. These innovative solutions, available through their data collaboration platform, Spherical, promise to change how digital […]
Latest Posts
Streets Ahead: FTC Reviews Ruling and Google Core Update
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at the FTC’s new ruling on reviews and the Google august core update. FTC Launches New Rule to Combat Misleading Reviews and Ratings The News Fake reviews have been a longstanding issue in the digital marketplace, misleading consumers and harming reputable businesses. In response, after over a […]
Survey: CTV Is the Channel to Watch for Advertising Dollars
The shift of advertising budgets from linear TV to CTV reflects the most significant consumer behavior this year, according to a report by Mediaocean, released on August 19. The omnichannel ad-media platform just released its 2024 H2 Market Report that looks at emerging consumer, media, and media-technology trends for the rest of the year, the […]
UGC and Marketing: Veronica Lin Shares Her Perspective
Today’s consumers are cynical when choosing MULO (multi-location) brands. They realize that most advertising and PR is created by brands and therefore potentially inauthentic. That’s where User Generated Content (UGC) plays a huge role in marketing today. “Content created by real people greatly sways purchasing choices across age groups, with 79% of individuals influenced by it and 93% […]
Brand Marketing: Focus on Outcomes and Cut Through the AI Hype
Google’s decision to call off its deprecation of the third-party cookie may seem like a reprieve for many brand marketers. But the truth is, regardless of this move, the digital landscape is increasingly privacy-centric. As users take control of their data-privacy, brand marketers have two options: spend more or spend smarter. AI can deliver the […]
BOOM & BUST: C-Stores Thrive While D-Stores Die
The C in this case stands for convenience store (C-Store), and the D stands for department store (D-Store) — both critical outlets in the MULO (multi-location) retail ecosystem. Brick-and-mortar locations in many categories are still alive and well despite consumers’ penchant for online shopping. Yet, some types of MULO brands are performing much better than […]
Seedtag Acquires JustEggs for ANZ Market Entry
When Seedtag acquired supply-side platform Beachfront in June, it did so to deepen its offering in TV and advertising video. One month later, Seedtag, a global leader in contextual advertising, acquired JustEggs to broaden its global footprint with entry into Australia and New Zealand. JustEggs is an Australian-owned creative intelligence business. Dal Gill, Vice President […]
Streets Ahead: Google Monopoly Ruling, AIO Declines
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at what’s next after the Google monopoly ruling as well as the continued decline in Google AI Overviews (AIO). Google Monopoly Ruling: What’s Next After the DOJ’s Landmark Decision? The News Last week, we reported on a significant development in the lawsuit filed against Google by the […]
Christena Garduno of Media Culture: The Marketing Agency’s Future
Marketing agencies used to be able to woo clients with unique and emotional ad campaigns. Then, as media options became more varied, knowing how and where to spend ad dollars (print, television, radio, and ultimately online) was a critical factor. Today, agencies must deliver a full range of strategies and solutions, and data analytics and […]
Nexxen Partners with Vevo to Expand Programmatic Advertising in CTV
Nexxen, a leader in unified advertising technology with deep expertise in video and Connected TV (CTV), has announced a strategic partnership with Vevo, the world’s largest music video network. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both companies, as Vevo joins forces with Nexxen’s supply-side platform (SSP) to enhance its programmatic advertising capabilities, particularly across […]
Back-to-School Shopping Patterns 2024
Most holidays seem to have moved up in the calendar as opportunities for retailers and manufacturers to get a jump on back-to-school sales activities. In some warmer states, school starts in August. Parents sending their kids off to college need ample prep time to stock dorm rooms (and the closets and refrigerators within them). Amazon […]
Street Fight’s Big 3
Street Fight Columns
Street Fight Categories
Streets Ahead: Google, Apple, and Siri Signal a New Era for AI, Search, and Commerce