News and Analysis
Consumers Do This 69% of the Time
Do what? A new study by Salsify revealed that 69% of consumers now make purchases while doing other things — scrolling through social media, browsing YouTube, or even watching shows on Netflix. The days of someone saying, “Let’s go shopping” still exist, but multitasking is now the norm for close to 70% of the population, […]
Just Salad Tosses in AI & Personalization
We know that consumers are okay with personalization and targeting, providing it adds value to their lives and saves them time. A whopping 64 percent of consumers report liking custom-tailored experiences. Just Salad was founded in 2006 and now has more than 90 locations. I remember being excited when the fast-casual chain opened in New […]
More Than a Comfy Bed: What Makes a Great MULO Hotel Brand?
We may not think of a hotel or a motel in the same light as retailers and restaurants. However, they are still MULO (multi-location) brands. Consumers search for them, consider their ratings, and make selections based on a wide range of factors. NerdWallet just published its list of “best hotel brands” for 2025. The criteria […]
Commentary
BUST: The Very Public Demise of Bed Bath & Beyond
Who will remember the brand Bed Bath & Beyond in a few years, and what will they say? Only time will tell, but in the interim, the retail media has had no fodder shortage over the past few weeks, dissecting how and why this iconic multi-location brand declined and ultimately declared bankruptcy. Monday morning quarterbacks […]
Pop Goes the Pop-Up Shop — For Big Brands and Mom & Pops
The Pop-up shop has long been part of the retail and restaurant landscape. They are temporary locations. Multi-location brands may take their products into small footprints or new configurations and venues and small brands may start with a limited-run concept and then expand it. 5 Pop-Up Models Some are seasonal. For example, Bryant Park in […]
The Home Depot’s Melanie Babcock on the Rise of Retail Media Networks
Melanie Babcock joined The Home Depot in 2013 as Senior Director of Social Media and rose through the ranks to become Vice President of Retail Media+ and Monetization in February of this year. RM+ is the largest home improvement retail media network. StreetFight sat down with the Ann Arbor, Mich., native to get her insights […]
Latest Posts
BOOM: Mini Golf Goes Maxi
Even if you may never be a star on an international golf tour, you can beat your friends and family to a rousing game at indoor mini golf. Puttshack, which opened two mini golf locations in 2021 has rapidly grown to 11 nationally in: Nashville Boston Chicago Dallas Houston St. Louis Pittsburgh Miami Denver Scottsdale […]
This Channel Could be Bowling Brands Over
Move over, Ralph Kramden. Bowling is becoming one of the most popular activities in the United States. According to data released last year from Ipsos, it was among the most “played” sports in 2022. Right after Cornhole, which 20% of Americans played, bowling drew 19%. Swimming was third at 18%. Statista posits that about 45 […]
BOOM: The Skinny on FAT Brands
FAT Brands sends us regular news announcements about their growth, menu updates, and company strategies. We’re wowed by their speed of franchise innovation. We reached out to their executive team to get insights into the FAT philosophy and forward-looking path. As a MULO (multi-location) brand, they are clearly one of the gentle yet powerful giants. […]
Technology MULO Brands Need Today, According to RizePoint
Paul Damaren is the Chief Revenue Officer at RizePoint. The company develops technology for the restaurant, hospitality, retail, and processing industries. Although their tool suite helps these MULO brands with compliance, they are also designed to “help brands create a culture of excellence and ensure that every customer experience is as good (and safe) as […]
Beware the “Brobot?” The Women of AI
At CES (where AI was the buzzword this year), a group of women gathered to discuss the role of women in technology, and specifically in artificial intelligence. AI is already having an impact on all aspects of the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant ecosystem — from real-time analytics to inventory management and security. According to […]
An Infusion of Franchise Savvy from Dana Kupper of PrimeIV
Dana Kupper was inspired by her husband (a brand ambassador for PrimeIV since 2019) to become the owner/operator of an IV franchise. (She also has a corporate job at American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts.) We’ve written about the BOOM of the needle and how MULO (multi-location) businesses that provide health-related infusions are on the […]
Get in the Game: Jeff Michaels of Mobivity Talks Mobile Gaming
Mobivity is a provider of technology connecting mobile gaming audiences to real-world brands and products. While mobile gaming includes casual games (like Solitaire, Candy Crush, etc.), gamification traditionally means turning regular tasks into games to increase fun and enjoyment. Mobile gaming (Mobivity’s focus) has become an effective tool for customer acquisition and engagement. MULO (multi-location) […]
The Privacy Arms Race May Kill Ad Tech
A dangerous digital advertising arms race is brewing as browser makers try to prevent cross-site tracking. The desire of digital ad companies to keep tracking users, despite browsers’ preventative privacy measures, is leading our industry down a hazardous path for users, browser makers, and ad tech. In an effort to protect user privacy, browsers are […]
BOOM: Courting the Racquet Sports Industry With Robyn Duda
Tennis remains popular, badminton is having a moment says Pinterest, and paddle is, according to the Washington Post, the next big multi-location winner is racquet sports. We met with Robyn Duda, the co-founder of RacquetX, a new festival for both business and consumers that involves ALL racquet sports, to ask her about the trend. Why […]
GenAI : Where Brand Marketers Need to Upskill for the Future
Generative AI (GenAI) was one of the most talked about technologies in 2023. We saw it support Google searches, streamline A/B testing efforts, and even play center stage in last summer’s SAG-AFTRA strike. With the ability to automate repetitive tasks and streamline processes, GenAI is becoming an invaluable tool in marketing – and its potential […]
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