News and Analysis
Survey: Marketers Lean-In to Personalization, Performance
We’re well into H2, and omnichannel ad platform Mediaocean has released its 2025 H2 Market Report, a compilation of responses from a global survey of hundreds of marketing professionals. It looks like experimentation is out, and execution is in when it comes to using AI, advertising on CTV, and verifying identity as the foundations of […]
MULO Brands With Soul August Pick: Raising Cane’s
A “one love” philosophy may sound more like Woodstock, Burning Man, or a spiritual retreat than a MULO (multi-location) food brand with more than 900 locations. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers has become known for its corporate culture, which emphasizes the importance of respect, community, teamwork, and having fun as part of every employee’s daily experience […]
From Data to Dachshunds: Meet Elizabeth Lafontaine of Placer.ai
In the weeks leading up to Street Fight LIVE 2025, we’ll be getting up close and personal with some of our speakers, encouraging them to share stories of how they found themselves in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Elizabeth Lafontaine is the Director of Research at Placer.ai and will share the latest insights on consumer trends, including […]
Commentary
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 […]
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 […]
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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