News and Analysis
Snack Brand LesserEvil Discusses OOH
You’ve got to love OOH if you’re a brand marketer. It’s location-based, has real-time and locational relevance, and there are no pesky brand-safety issues to worry about. The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is gearing up for the 2025 OOH Media Conference May 5-7, and some esteemed brands will be represented not […]
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 […]
Commentary
2023’s Web3 Opportunities
As we embark on a new year, we look back at 2022 as the year brands took a leap into the Web3 space, creating novel campaigns to engage with their customers in the digital space. In 2023, we expect brands to continue these efforts to create new, fun ways to improve their customer engagement through Web3 activations.
Why Ad Spend Growth Will Likely Decline in 2023
Ad spend growth is likely to decline in 2023. That’s partly due to the looming recession, but macroeconomic factors are hardly the only ones in play.
ChatGPT Isn’t a Panacea for Local Marketing Content, But Here’s How It Can Help
AI can help create content at scale, and it can give marketers ideas that help them write competent blog posts even if they are unfamiliar with a vertical.
Latest Posts
Party On! Bankruptcy for Party City May Not Be the End
The media is filled with stories these days of MULO (multi-location) retailers closing stores and doors and declaring bankruptcy. Our BUST series covered Bed Bath & Beyond, Jenny Craig, Christmas Tree Shops, and others. But before you start ringing the death knell on one more MULO brick-and-mortar retailer or restaurant, be aware that the party […]
Mailchimp Launches GenAI-Powered Marketing Assistant for SMBs
The email marketing and newsletter giant Mailchimp is at it again. Earlier this week, the company launched its latest game-changing solution for SMBs — a marketing assistant powered by generative AI. Intuit Assist for Mailchimp is expected to help businesses generate content, personalize their marketing, and learn faster from their marketing mistakes. Rather than being […]
Head of the Class — Back-to-School Marketing Language Trends
Very few seasons connote change the way the back-to-school season does. Even for those of us who are no longer in school, the shorter days and cooler mornings mean that a new school year (and, by default, autumn, if you live somewhere lucky enough to experience it) is soon upon us. And every time summer […]
Brand Halloween Holiday Creep 2023
Before you could even put away your beach chair and utter “Pumpkin Spice,” Halloween accessories, boxes of tinsel, faux trees, and December lights began thier holiday creep and began to appear on store shelves. MULO (multi-location) retailers have changed the traditional sales cycle and accelerated the holiday shopping schedule. Halloween 2023 began in July, as […]
Grocers Navigate the Shift from E-commerce to In-Store
More than half of e-commerce grocery customers have left the channel since last year. Where have they gone, and what can grocers do to bring them back? That’s the question many supermarket chains and retail marketers are trying to answer. According to new data from SymphonyAI Retail CPG, 52% of e-commerce grocery customers have left […]
BUST: The Wrong Time for Rite Aid
Bankruptcies and store closings have hit the retail world hard this year. Bed Bath & Beyond was the most notable, and Christmas Tree Shops and Jenny Craig are among the other retail brands that closed doors in 2023. Rite Aid is the latest MULO (multi-location) brand to suffer the impact of retail shrinkage. Although the […]
7 Ways to Use AI Responsibly for Multi-Location Marketing
AI is no longer a thing of the future. It’s something that’s here—and it’s here to stay. In fact, more than 80% of marketers are currently using AI tools. But what are some practical applications of AI for multi-location marketing and how can you use it to streamline processes and improve campaigns? We’re sharing seven […]
Labor Day Retail Trend: In-Store Shoppers Search for ‘Seasonal Delights’
As Labor Day weekend approaches, consumers across the United States are gearing up for a unique shopping experience. While online shopping has become a significant part of daily life for most Americans, the holiday weekend is expected to witness a surge in in-store shopping. A recent survey of Labor Day shopping preferences conducted by Vibenomics, […]
AdTech Leaders Navigate Ethical Frontiers for Generative AI
Generative AI has had a breakout year in 2023, but as more adtech companies adopt the technology to optimize campaigns, analyze behavior, and personalize both online and offline experiences, consumers are pushing back. According to a survey by Salesforce, there’s a growing distrust of AI and companies that use it. The race to build out […]
New Partnership Seeks to Address CTV Advertising Gaps
Let’s hear it for the lower funnel: that could be the rallying cry of QSR and financial-services clients this fourth quarter. Amid possible economic softening, the lower funnel is a tried and true performance-marketing path for all kinds of KPI’s from engagement to sales. To more effectively measure sales outcomes from lower-funnel marketing, Attain, a permissioned-commerce […]
Street Fight’s Big 3
Street Fight Columns
Street Fight Categories
The Strongest Brands Don’t Copy Their Competitors