News and Analysis
WiRL-ing with Satyne Julianna Doner
Although technology is booming, human connections remain extremely valuable in the MULO (multi-location) restaurant world. A whopping 77% of restaurant operators say that talent acquisition and retention are significant challenges. Associate Editor Satyne Julianna Doner recently gathered a group of executive women in the MULO (multi-location) restaurant industry to discuss their career paths and how to foster […]
Hatch Urges People to ‘Escape the Algorithm’
A Boston-based agency known as Hatch has come up with a tagline for a local museum’s campaign that may well be a healthy approach to life itself: “Escape the algorithm.” For the purposes of this local outdoor campaign, which began its run in the greater Boston area in 2024, the work is in support of […]
How AI May Win Prime Days in 2025
When Amazon launched its Prime Days concept, it was a true novelty. After all, who doesn’t want deals, especially those that come up unexpectedly? This year, Amazon has expanded Prime Days to four full days (July 8th to 11th) and has already begun spending on pre-promotion awareness ads. Amazon spends approximately $20B on advertising annually, […]
Commentary
A Marketer’s Guide to Transitioning from Third-Party Cookies
Third-party cookies are going away. Not tomorrow, maybe not next week, but in the months to come, marketers will come face-to-face with the reality of a new world of marketing measurement. Google appears to be committed to their complete blocking of third-party cookies in Chrome by the end of 2024, so marketers need to prepare […]
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. […]
Latest Posts
Beware the Small Screen: Consumers Resist Mobile Shopping, Says Megan Hastings
A new report from Quantum Metric reveals that mobile commerce hasn’t fully bloomed. In fact, Quantum Metric calls mobile the “awkward middle schooler of digital commerce.” The report reveals that consumers have mixed emotions about leveraging mobile commerce in retail, travel, and financial services. 75% browse on a mobile device at least 2+ times a day, but just 26% buy […]
The MULO Retail (R)Evolution: 5 Keys to Success
Retail is far from dead, despite the rise of online commerce. It’s just evolving — in some cases radically. The media is often filled with stories of MULO (multi-location) retailers declaring bankruptcy and/or shuttering locations. But, at the same time, new brands and categories are emerging and expanding. Fast Company recently featured new brands, including […]
Should MULO Brands Jump Into the U.S. Political Battleground?
As we know, brands are known for newsjacking and momentjacking. But what happens when that moment is a hotly-contested U.S. election? Today’s political climate has implications for brands and MULO (multi-location) retailers, and restaurants. Seemingly Safe Encouraging consumers to vote, regardless of their political leanings, appears to be OK, provided it is well done. In […]
Spotzer and Adplorer Partner, Ad-Tech Collaborations Continue
In a recent strategic move, Spotzer announced a partnership with Adplorer, integrating Adplorer’s ad-serving technology into SpotzerAds. This collaboration will help Spotzer’s enterprise partners and agencies, by improving ad-serving capabilities, supporting platforms like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and LinkedIn. Adplorer, with over 14 years of experience and €750 million in managed ad spend, complements Spotzer’s extensive […]
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 […]
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