News and Analysis
Cracker Barrel: The Rebrand That is Anything But Stale!
The MULO (multi-location) restaurant ecosystem and the marketing agencies that support it have been abuzz and aghast over the past week. Cracker Barrel has about 700 locations in 44 states, but the number of opinions on their new logo and store design outweighs those numbers. And many have been less than favorable on the rebrand. […]
For DOOH: Start with Where the Screen Is
Democracy has come to DOOH media. Anyone with a credit card, basic computer skills, and five minutes of free time can set up and run a DOOH campaign thanks to AdOmni’s self-serve ad platform. Jonathan Gudai, CEO of AdOmni, said that for too long the process of planning and executing a campaign has been a mysterious […]
Self-Serve & Marketing Kiosks: The Ultimate in Phygital
Multi-location (MULO) brands have long been using various forms of digital advertising and transaction processing. Labor costs and shortages, combined with consumer demand and love of interactive experiences, have given rise to a whole new category of phygital (physical + digital) options and solutions. At the Summer Fancy Food Show, media and big box buyers were […]
Commentary
Streets Ahead: AI Overviews and Organic Search, Google Core Update Concludes
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at recent changes in AI Overviews as well as the conclusion of Google’s August Core Update. AI Overviews Now Better Reflecting Google Organic Search Results The News Recent research by Mark Traphagen and seoClarity shows that AI Overviews (AIOs) are now closely mirroring Google’s organic search results. After […]
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 […]
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 […]
Latest Posts
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 […]
A View From the Stage: 10 Takeaways from StreetFight LIVE
I had the pleasure of chairing the re-boot of StreetFight LIVE, the first gathering of its kind since 2018. StreetFight Live events are back! And, as one of our panels reinforced, people today are looking for inspiring, fun, and memorable experiences that engage them and keep them coming back. More than 30 professionals — across […]
Holidays 2024 Installment 3: Mike Debnar Predicts the Spending Future
As we continue with our Holiday 2024 trends and forecast countdown, we asked Mike Debnar what stars will be shining bright this season. Debnar is the VP Retail Executive Advisor at Medallia. He focuses on creating innovative customer experience programs for brands utilizing his extensive background in CRM and CX. Mike holds a degree in management information […]
Will the Election Affect Holiday Shopping?
Presidential election years tend to boost holiday-season spending, regardless of who wins the most votes, according to Experian plc, a global data analytics and consumer credit reporting company. Experian has released its 2024 Holiday Spending Trends and Insights report, and with it, the launch of contextually-Indexed Audiences. Advertisers can use this new offering to blend […]
The MULO Dozen: October in Review
As is always the case in the MULO (multi-location) world, the ecosystem in October was a blend of tricks and treats. The big news for November is the re-launch of Street Fight LIVE, but here are some highlights from the past month that are almost as exciting. Chipotle opens in Dubai. It joins the many MULO […]
Holidays 2024 Installment 2: Nikhil Raj Predicts the Spending Future
Our next spending prediction for Holiday Season 2024 comes from Nikhil Raj, VP of Retail Media of Moloco. The company is a machine-learning-powered adtech company. Raj was on the co-founding leadership team at WalmartLabs via the acquisition of Kosmix and started Walmart’s retail media business. What is your #1 prediction for holiday shopping season? “While inflation […]
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 […]
Attain’s New App Rewards Healthy Shopping
Attain is a permissioned-commerce data platform that powers real-time purchase measurement and outcome signals for brands. In September, it purchased an app called Merryfield, which enables shoppers to accumulate rewards when they buy healthy products. Actress Zooey Deschanel, best known for the TV series “New Girl” (2011-2018) was a Merryfield co-founder and chief creative officer […]
Just-published Skai Study Reveals Ad Spend Trends
MULO (multi-location) brands have more advertising options than ever before. As the year ends, last-minute decision-making regarding which outlets will deliver the best results challenges valuable marketing budgets. Skai (an omnichannel ad platform specializing in walled garden media) just published its third quarter 2024 Digital Marketing Quarterly Trends Report. Street Fight is among the first media […]
MULO Brands With Soul October Pick: Ben & Jerry’s
Many MULO (multi-location) brands avoid social or political causes for fear of backlash or polarization of their consumer base. But, for one company, activism has been part of its culture since its launch — Ben & Jerry’s. The brand now has about 500 brick-and-mortar locations worldwide, but its products are distributed throughout retail and C-store channels […]
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