I was reading a piece in AdExchanger discussing the need for publishers to first consider technology when planning mobile strategies, and two thoughts came to mind.

First, I agreed that the technology considerations and decisions to be made - from ad serving, to software development kits (SDKs) and mediation layers - are all critical for publishers to reach the goals cited in the piece (managing the user experience, traffic, content, and advertising).

I was chatting with two senior Industry Analysts this week, sharing what Gravy does and getting insights from them on their clients’ needs and on where they think the location-based space is in its evolution. What I heard in return and the advice I received was at the same time, compelling and a bit humbling.

For Brick and Mortar Chains, Unpredictable Foot Traffic -Is- Was the Main Obstacle to Maintaining Profitable Locations        

It’s no surprise that high variable costs have historically limited the profitability of brick and mortar stores.  

According to Shopkeep, three of the top ten variables plaguing the restaurant industry, as an example, include: foot traffic unpredictability, managing (food and beverage) inventory, and staffing planning and turnover. It naturally follows then, that by understanding and affecting their largest controllable variable—foot traffic—they’ll insure high-and-consistent traffic (and thus sales), covering fixed and variable costs. This, in turn, spells profitability, right?

Tomorrow and Friday you can meet face to face with Gravy team members at our booth at LBMA’s #RetailLoco conference at the East Bank Club in Chicago.  Connect with us on LinkedIn and let us know you’ll be there!

“Hosted by the Location Based Marketing Association, RetailLoco is a two day event that will deliver insights and trends on the latest in mobile and location-based tools and techniques for retailers. The event will feature keynote speakers, panels on indoor location, proximity-based payments, in-store digital signage, push notifications, metrics / analytics, and more.”

Catch up with the Gravy team next week at Street Fight Summit NYC (10/20) and LBMA RetailLoco in Chicago (10/22-23).  

I was reading an article in Adweek about what work agencies recently did for the Google search app, discussing the challenges of location-based mobile ads and the difficulty of pinpointing the exact person with the right type of ad on the fly.

I recently read a great article in MediaPost on the need to better address privacy in the “always on” world. Although its focus was on the privacy implications of devices with voice controls, it compelled me to share some ideas around what our company is doing from a mobile location-based services perspective, to protect the privacy of our clients’ customers and increase data security.  

We all know that smart devices and their related features are already gathering useful information about users. Unfortunately, some platforms are doing so with users not being adequately made aware and with privacy and security not adequately protected. This data could eventually be used in either an unintended or malicious way, causing a backlash to not only the involved company, but also to every company which gathers data on users.

The Gravy team is on the go and in the mix at the latest industry events! Check out Wired Magazine's chat with one of our team members at the massive Dreamforce Conference in San Francisco last week.