News and Analysis
Toilets, Termites, and Terraces: A $1.2 Trillion Opportunity
When we think of franchise businesses and other MULO (multi-location) operations, we tend to think of retail, restaurant, convenience stores, and service businesses like walk-in clinics and tax prep services. But a huge category exists called home services. Although many of these operations do not require brick-and-mortar locations (beyond a co-working space or small office […]
What Innovid Brings to the Mediaocean Table
Once the Mediaocean acquisition of Innovid (for upwards of $500 million) goes through, the company will have one tough tech stack. “Being able to manage everything from Meta to TikTok to Snap, to now Reddit, is the latest one,” said Mediaocean CMO Aaron Goldman. Managing ads inside walled gardens is something that Flashtalking does very […]
MULO Brands With Soul November Picks: The Season of Giving
Rather than single out one brand this month, we will focus on how several MULO (multi-location) brands are leaning into giving this holiday season with tie-ins to philanthropic efforts. Aligning a brand with a specific charitable effort can be risky, so doing due diligence before selecting a cause is imperative today. You certainly don’t want […]
Latest Posts
Report: 74% of Businesses Interested in Using AI and Automation
Was the last email newsletter from your favorite jewelry boutique generated by AI? What about the Facebook and Instagram posts from your local coffee shop? Years after big brands first started using AI and marketing automation to generate better ROI from their digital campaigns, small and mid-size businesses have finally jumped on board en masse. […]
Back-to-School 2023 by the Numbers
Although Halloween treats are already appearing on MULO (multi-location) retail shelves, let’s not forget that back-to-school shopping is still in season. Depending on where in the U.S. they live, students can return to academics as early as July these days. Although many schools still start after Labor Day, summer vacation ends early in many regions. […]
The ‘Last Mile’ Looms Large as Q4 approaches
As much as everyone loves Amazon, we must admit, they ruined it for other businesses in terms of raising customer expectations, particularly when it comes to the last mile. Amazon Prime. Next day. Same day. Drones. Amazon does it all, and other shipping providers have had to meet those standards to stay competitive. AxleHire, a […]
Forecasting Frenzy: Inside the Strategies Retailers Are Using to Predict Holiday Trends in 2023
Holiday forecasting is presenting a challenge for retailers in 2023, with multiple layers of economic uncertainty. After years of supply chain woes and logistics challenges, followed by a 2022 holiday season marked by the effects of inflation, retailers are looking at the 2023 holidays as an intricate puzzle. Behind the scenes, many retail executives say […]
It’s Time to Plan for Data Signal Sustainability
If you’re a publisher or advertiser, and especially if you’re operating in the mobile space, you’re probably getting a little tired of being told about new forthcoming privacy changes that are sure to upend your monetization and marketing plans. The simple fact is that change is the only constant in today’s digital landscape; if you’re […]
Audio Advertisers Sidestep Privacy Issues by Targeting Segments, Rather Than Individuals
One of the oldest broadcasting mediums is finding new life in the digital era — and advertisers are taking notice. More than a hundred years after the voices of radio personalities like Orson Welles became household names, and decades after transistor radios made audio content portable and widely-accessible for the first time, audio news is […]
Shuttered Forever or Transformed? 12 Storefront Businesses That Went Poof!
Is this about nostalgia or a MULO (multi-location) business lesson? Probably a bit of both. In our ongoing BOOM and BUST series, we talk about MULO retailers, restaurants, and service businesses that declared bankruptcy or became obsolete because of management issues or blindness to consumer trends and technologies. Let’s walk down memory lane and reflect […]
As DMPs Face Extinction, It’s Time for Marketers to Adapt to the New Advertising Landscape
There’s a seismic shift happening in the advertising landscape as privacy takes center stage and the era of cookies slowly fades away. Yet, somehow, there are still those who cling to cookies as their primary means of audience targeting and measurement in online advertising. Despite roughly 60% of industry leaders foreseeing the consequences of losing […]
BOOM: Green is Good as MULO Salad Brands Abound
Salads and salad brands are no longer a side dish. At the same time as multi-location (MULO) sweets and snack brands emerge and proliferate, greens-based companies are opening and scaling. Among the places consumers can find their favorite salad fixings are: Saladworks: One of the first entrants to the market (founded in 1986), the franchise […]
The Real Story Behind Sprout Social’s Newest Acquisition — And What It Means for the Future of Social Insights
Sprout Social announced earlier this month that it was acquiring Tagger Media, one of the most well-known influencer marketing and social intelligence platforms on the market. The $140 million deal positions Sprout to become a leader in influencer marketing management — but that’s not the part of the story most people are talking about. The […]
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