Michael Blanche

Michael Blanche

Michael Blanche is the co-founder and co-CEO of Surfside, the operating system for the retail majority. At Surfside, Michael leads the development of the infrastructure and operating system that aggregates independent and regional retailers, unifies their commerce data, and enables retail media to be planned, activated, and measured against real outcomes across online and in-store environments.

He brings a wealth of experience in creating technology at the intersection of Advertising, Commerce and Customer Experience; identifying future trends and creating business value. As a technologically-minded leader, Michael’s chief skills lie in balancing business, technology and community; prior to founding Surfside, Michael served as the Chief Technology Officer at SITO (NASDAQ: SITO), where he was responsible for leading engineering, product and innovation.
Marketing
Retail Growth is Going Local. Media Plans Haven’t Caught Up
April 1, 2026 at 9:21 am

In December 2025, same-store sales for independent retailers grew 4.5 percent year-over-year, while total U.S. retail sales grew 2.4 percent over the same period. While the broader retail market cooled, neighborhood retail accelerated. When growth separates like that, it’s worth asking why and what it means for brands allocating media dollars in 2026. The Quiet…

Marketing
Retail Media’s Biggest Missed Opportunity: The Retail Majority
February 24, 2026 at 2:34 pm

Retail media’s rise has been fast and decisive. Spending is projected to reach $71.1 billion in 2026, with nearly every major retailer now offering advertisers some version of a retail media network. The names leading the charge are familiar: Amazon.com, Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons. These platforms have proven that when purchase data, media inventory, and measurement…