News and Analysis
BOOM: Legacy Restaurant Brands Relaunch and Get “Glow-ups”
MULO (multi-location) retailers and restaurants often take their eyes off the ball (or shelves and plates) when planning for the future. We’ve seen many examples of established brands that thrived for decades suddenly closing up shop and declaring bankruptcy. However, we’re also witnessing legacy brands that realize consumer needs are evolving. These brands are coming up […]
What’s New at Walmart? A Creator Studio!
We’ve heard of SWAS or “stores within stores” (like Sephora at Kohl’s) and “pickleball within malls.” However, something new and powerful has now emerged for creators, at a Walmart in Tennessee. It’s a fully equipped creator studio where brand influencers, entertainers, and other Instagram-famous personalities and TikTok stars can capture content. Create-It Studios is described […]
Real American Beer Supports Live Music
Way back in 1974, The Who single “Long Live Rock” contained the sad refrain, “Rock is dead.” Not if WWE icon Hulk Hogan and his Real American Beer brand have anything to say about it: rock music—along with other genres–is being nourished and thriving through its brand sponsorships that support up-and-coming bands across the U.S. […]
Commentary
How AI Is Transforming Phone Calls Into Data
“This call may be recorded for training and quality purposes” We’ve all heard a version of this ubiquitous message a thousand times. Chances are we don’t even notice it any more due to a form of audio “ad blindness”. Still, if we stop and think about it, interesting questions arise. What are these recordings actually […]
Investing in AI Tools Leads to Better Outcomes for Marketers
The hype for AI has reached a crescendo, with companies across all industries introducing AI tools and endless amounts of news coverage touting its potential as a game-changer. While it has mostly remained a buzzword for many industries, it has already become a difference maker for marketers. According to a recent study, 41% of marketers […]
Why the Annual Planning Process is Behind Before it Starts
From advancements in campaign measurement to performance and optimization, the digital advertising industry has consolidated decades worth of transformation to a matter of years. And while the pace of advertising investments has shifted and performance data becomes available more regularly across channels, the annual planning process for all media expenditures has remained, well, annual. In […]
Latest Posts
How to Score a MULO Touchdown: 7 Winning Points
Multi-location retailers, restaurants, and even service businesses (the MULO ecosystem) stand to benefit from football season — if they have the right marketing and sales playbook! Applebee’s (a 42-year-old brand with 1,600+ locations) forged a deal with the NFL. But even those brands who are late to the game this football season can profit from […]
CTV Ads Outperform: Streaming Ads More Relevant
The digital advertising landscape is evolving, and Connected TV (CTV) is leading this transformation. A new report from LG Ad Solutions, “The Inclusive Screen: Asian Americans,” highlights how effective streaming ads are in engaging diverse audiences. The study shows that 70% of Asian Americans feel CTV ads are more relevant than traditional TV ads—45% higher […]
Small Brands are Crushing Big Brands on Local Search
As we know, most consumers use their devices to find dining, retail, and other MULO (multi-location) options that are convenient to them and have the products and services they want (as well as the consumer reviews, directions, and specials they seek). However, larger brands (who can afford to invest in mobile local search optimization) often […]
The MULO Hotel is Alive and Well
Summer vacations have ended but millions of people are still traveling for both work and play. Business travel is almost back to its pre-pandemic level, with close to 500M trips taking place this year and the global business traveler market estimated to reach $2.1T by 2031. Despite the popularity surge for alternative lodgings like Airbnb and […]
UGC: A Conversation With Roee Zelcer, CEO of Humanz US
MULO (multi-location) brands and agencies have long used word-of-mouth marketing to build traffic and sales. But UGC (user-generated content) as marketing is clearly having a moment. Brands’ fans are taking to TikTok, IG, digital billboards, and streaming TV ads to promote products and places. Agencies are making bold moves to incorporate UGC in their media […]
Sneak Preview: A Chat With Steph Hadas About the New PR
Steph Hadas is a Vice President at 5WPR, one of the largest independently owned public relations firms in the U.S., and will be one of our featured speakers at Street Fight LIVE on November 7th at Meta’s Chicago headquarters. The firm was founded in 2003 and has an incredible roster of clients — from major […]
Innovation Labs: LG Ad Solutions Unveils New Division for CTV Breakthroughs
LG Ad Solutions has announced the launch of Innovation Labs, a new division focused on advancing technologies in Connected TV (CTV) advertising and content personalization. Led by Chief Technology Officer Dave Rudnick, Innovation Labs will develop breakthrough innovations that deliver hyper-customized viewing experiences, connecting advertisers, content publishers, and audiences. A New Frontier in CTV Advertising […]
The MULO Dozen: August Brands in Review
Who says summer is slow? Not brands. So much is happening this August in the MULO (multi-location) brand and agency ecosystem that stopping at 12 was tough! Have news to share? Please reach out and we may include your MULO brand, agency, or tech company in our round-up or a feature article! Like pizza toppings […]
LG Ad Solutions Proves Screensaver Ads Drive Brand Engagement
LG Ad Solutions, a leader in Connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen advertising, has unveiled a new ad format called Native Screensaver Ads. Available on LG Smart TVs, these full-screen ads appear during periods of inactivity across the Home Screen, LG Channels, and the Content Store. By capitalizing on idle screen time, these ads transform what […]
The C-Store Five: Consumers Love These Convenience Store Brands
As we’ve covered in Street Fight, the C-store (convenience store) is a MULO (multi-location) category that is having a moment—a huge moment. Formerly viewed as the corner bodega or the highway stop for gas, smokes, emergency items, a beverage, and a bathroom break, C-stores are starting to play a more prominent role in the retail […]
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