News and Analysis
The MULO Dozen: July Brands in Review
Given the M&A activity that’s been going on in the MULO (multi-location) world these days, we’ve added a new section to our monthly dozen — DEALS. The reality of MULO is that unless brands listen to consumer voices, have strong leaders, and do the right deals, they may go BUST. The keys to BOOMING in […]
MULO Brands With Soul July Pick: Walmart
“It’s not just wages. Retailers are treating employees in a more insidious way.” That was the headline of a recent opinion piece in the New York Times. The sad reality is that it may be true for many MULO (multi-location) retailers. But we at Street Fight want to focus on those MULO retailers with heart, […]
Ad-Tech Experts Weigh In on Using GenAI
“Experiments are easy, but scale is hard.” That’s according to Jennifer Fleck, Senior Principal at Slalom Consulting, who talked about the challenge of scaling GenAI initiatives. The key is in balancing innovation, risk and feasibility, she said. “Most of the GenAI we see happening at enterprise organizations right now is an ambitious idea that stays […]
Latest Posts
Celebrities Who Help Turn Multi-Location Food Brands Into Stars
Celebrities, including actors and athletes, have long invested in businesses that will help guarantee them a nest egg after their fame has waned. Many now even have their own investment firms. Some, like Mark Wahlberg and Michael Jordan, developed branded concepts, while others invested in multi-location brand franchises. Among the multi-location food brands with celebrity investors […]
The C-Store of the Future: Beyond Gas & Gum
Although the industry has consolidated in recent years, close to 150K convenience stores (C-store) exist in the U.S. We may take them for granted, but they are a staple of modern life. The C-store is a solution whether we need pain relief, diapers at 2 AM, or a much-needed rest stop and re-fuel (physically or […]
Rootstrap Co-Founder on AI Regulation
First of all, Anthony Figueroa wants everyone to know he is a big believer in the power and potential of AI. As co-founder and CTO of outcome-driven software development company Rootstrap, he is both amazed and afraid of AI’s potential based on what he has seen so far. “I think the biggest danger is that […]
The Next Big Change for Brands: Digital Trust
Data privacy and consumer trust are key priorities for multi-location brands, users, and the U.S. government. On January 1, the California Privacy Rights Act was put into effect, a solid sign that federal privacy laws may be in the near future in the U.S. In fact, a recent McKinsey report explored the topic of “Digital […]
Gun Hill Brewery Refocuses on Hyper-Local Marketing
If you’re lucky enough to score tickets to “Hamilton” on Broadway, you can also enjoy a brew called “Rise Up Rye,” made for the show by Gun Hill Brewing Co. in The Bronx. Since 2016, the beer has been available as part of the Broadway Brews project and the company sets the definition of hyper-local […]
Aspex Turns to Vistar Media for DOOH Campaign
When Aspex Eyewear Group decided to begin advertising again after many months dormant, executives decided to add digital out-of-home or DOOH to their media mix to support a campaign that launched in February. “When we decided to come back and reactivate our marketing and advertising efforts, it was great to see how far digital had […]
Deterministic Identity Solutions Power Next-Gen Customer Experiences
As brand marketers shift away from third-party cookies, one solution is emerging as the clear successor: deterministic identity solutions. Deterministic identity solutions are a type of identity resolution that relies on user-provided, first-party data to match customer identities across different devices and channels. This can be done by using unique identifiers, like email addresses, phone […]
What’s Next for Tommy Bahama? A Study in Growth Through Diversification
The lines between retail and dining have been steadily blurring over the years as more brands build memorable experiences, enabling consumers to eat where they shop and play where they eat. A natural growth progression for many multi-location brands is to play in the hospitality space, and that’s exactly what Tommy Bahama is doing this […]
Flip Launches MagicOS, a Self-Serve E-Commerce Operating System for Brands
Transparency among social media influencers can be hard to come by. While 80% of consumers say they have purchased products in direct response to social media content, #sponcon scandals are taking their toll and leading to a decline in trust of digital influencers. Could a new e-commerce operating system for brands put the influencer industry […]
AI Is Changing Customer Discovery Forever. Who Wins?