News and Analysis
Does DEIB Make a Difference for MULO Brands?
The issue of DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) has become hot in the U.S. these days. Programs are being slashed at a government level and some of the private sector is following suit. MULO (multi-location) brands now need to think even harder about their hiring policies and public images. Consumers have taken to social […]
Kevel Acquires Nexta, Bolsters Retail Media Capabilities
Kevel has acquired Nexta, an automated advertising self-serve platform, to enhance its API-based retail media solutions. This move aligns with Kevel’s vision of empowering retailers to control their own ad platforms, optimizing multi-channel ad investment, and unlocking new revenue streams. The integration of Nexta’s AI-driven ad manager into Kevel’s Retail Media Cloud™ offers retailers a […]
WeFranch Hits the Road in 2025 With a Team of Franchise “Stars”
The franchise space has become more complex and dynamic in recent years. A key part of the MULO (multi-location) landscape, it has its own subject matter experts, consultants, ecosystem, investors, and owners. One of the topics we’ll be delving into at Street Fight LIVE 2025 is the ever-evolving role of franchisors and franchisees in scaling, […]
Commentary
BOOM: We All Scream for Ice Cream (and retailers reply)
The summer is upon us, and many people are seeking ways to cool down. Although the old-fashioned neighborhood ice cream truck is a rarity, multi-location (MULO) ice cream and frozen dessert retailers show no sign of melting. Although the category has declined slightly from time to time, it still represents $5.5B in revenue in the […]
5 Brands Using QR Codes to Drive Traffic to Online Platforms
The predictions were correct. QR codes are back — in a big way. After debuting in the 1990s, then losing relevance in the early 2000s, QR codes came roaring back to life in 2020. Now, three years after QR codes re-entered the mainstream during the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the biggest brands in the world […]
Seedtag Launches Next-Gen AI Solution
Global contextual ad company Seedtag has launched a next-gen AI powered context platform that gives brands and agencies the ability to create tailored creative ads that fit the context of the page on which they are featured. Dubbed “Liz,” the platform uses deep learning, computer vision, and natural language processing to create insight-driven prompts from […]
Latest Posts
The Franchise of the Future
The franchise MULO (multi-location) business model has been around since 1731 and boomed in the U.S. in 1960, with the formation of the International Franchise Association (or IFA). The IFA now represents 1,300 franchisors, 10,000 franchisees, and more than 600 professionals and suppliers to the industry, according to its website (which also features a robust […]
BOOM: This MULO Diner Chain is Roaring
The diner as a concept seems to be timeless. Back in 1913, the first stationary diner was established and ultimately grew to 6,000 privately owned locations nationally. That’s a giant MULO (multi-location) venture! Fast forward to today. Although foodies have a wide range of options for where to eat — from single-unit locations to specific […]
When Gen AI Erodes Trust, Brands Take the Fall
Generative AI’s potential to change the way we work and shop holds amazing promise, but this new technology also poses heightened risks for brands. Maintaining customer trust will be a perpetual challenge as generative AI (GenAI) changes the fraud landscape in two important ways. First, GenAI is already making it easier for professional and amateur […]
BOOM: Retail Media According to Skai
We often use “BOOM” to identify a category or store brand that’s thriving. But BOOMing can also apply to trends in media buying and creative. So, for 2024 we’ve expanded the term to cover that as well, so MULO (multi-location) brands and the agencies that work with them can identify how to better reach consumers […]
‘Judge Beauty’ Wants this e.l.f. on Your Shelf
And the award for best non-sequitur in a Super Bowl ad this year goes to the TV personality known as Judge Judy: “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining,” Judge Beauty said when learning a “defendant” claimed she needed to spend $92 on makeup products. The 30-second spot, “Judge Beauty,” was from […]
Retail Bankruptcies: Life in the ‘Express’ Lane
Business and retail media are filled with stories of companies that are in the express lane towards restructuring and holding huge sales on their way toward bankruptcy. It has become such a popular topic of speculation that one online source even gives odds of bankruptcy filing. Over the past week, the media was placing odds […]
BOOM or BUST? Will the Mega MULO Crafts Store Survive?
As tech-centric as the world has become, handcrafts are still alive and well! Just look at Etsy, which has been steadily growing. Although the MULO (multi-location) crafts industry is not unraveling like an unfortunate knitting project, online competition has put a pin prick into big box store revenues. The pandemic also eliminated many in-store events. Just […]
How to Increase Social Media Engagement in 2024
Brands have a bigger marketing challenge today arguably than ever before because consumers are more skeptical about advertising than previously. Not only are they turning away from brand-created content on social media, but most of them also no longer trust influencers. That’s why increasing social media engagement and using social media effectively to promote brands […]
Opterus Puts the ‘Opps’ in Franchise Operations
If you are a pet owner who resides in California, your pet’s needs will differ to some degree compared to those of a pet owner in the Northeast. For example, the fundamental level of care can change based on local weather differences, explained Gary Stonell, SVP Sales & Operations at Opterus, a SaaS-based company that […]
The Demise of Third-Party Cookies is CTV’s Opportunity to Shine
On January 4th, we finally reached the beginning of the end of third-party cookies (for real this time?) On that date, Google Chrome began removing 3rd party cookies from 1% of traffic. By the end of the year, 3rd party cookies will be completely eliminated from Chrome and opening a new opportunity for CTV. This […]
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