The Local Marketing Trends Podcast

The Local Marketing Trends Podcast

Hear two of the nation's brightest and sought-after advertising analysts -- Corey Elliott and Gordon Borrell -- identify the latest trends and make their predictions. This fast-paced podcast runs about 20 minutes and focuses on trends in local media, advertising, and marketing. The show typically touches on three or four topics, occasionally features a guest, and is always seasoned with critical analysis and wit.

Episodes

October 5, 2026 • 26 mins
In this episode, The Jingle Man himself shows up to critique a few podcast jingles authored by Gordon & Corey. (Warning: This show contains earworms so horrible they'll be bouncing around inside your eardrums for days.) The show addresses whether AI might replace jingles, and how the proliferation of digital audio and video has brought new life to the art of jinglemaking. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you joi...
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How does a small-town soft drink become a national brand? Cheerwine VP of Marketing Joy Harper — the founder’s great-great-granddaughter — tells the remarkable story of how a Salisbury, N.C., beverage grew from a local favorite into a brand available nationwide. She shares how Cheerwine combines old-school tactics like radio, outdoor advertising, and sampling with digital targeting, influencers and a passionate am...
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National video advertising may be on the verge of a dramatic shift—and local media could be the biggest beneficiary. Locality CEO Michael Collins explains why national brands are beginning to think market by market and predicts just how much money could follow. Brace yourself -- it's a big number. Gordon and Corey explore how local agencies and media companies should prepare. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you ...
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As part of a continuing series on how marketing made small ideas big, this episode focuses on an unlikely suspect -- a retired sheriff's detective with a passion for history. West Virginia native David Taylor created a unique heritage project that might have remained a personal hobby, except for a two-hour radio interview one Sunday morning. Gordon and Corey explore why this story perfectly illustrates an enduring truth about mark...
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Will AI replace ad sales reps? The answer increasingly seems to point to yes. In this episode, the head of IAB's Tech Lab, Anthony Katsur, warns that AI is becoming capable of handling media planning, budget allocation, and campaign analysis, potentially allowing publishers and agencies to do more with fewer salespeople. How soon might that happen? Corey & Gordon unveil new research indicating AI adoption of advertising tasks ...
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What does it take to turn a local idea into a nationwide phenomenon? In this episode, Gordon and Corey kick off a summer series exploring products that started small and went big with the right marketing. Their guest is David Klein, creator of Jelly Belly, who reveals how an $800 investment and some unconventional tactics helped transform a tiny candy into a global brand. Gordon & Corey unpack the marketing lessons every local ...
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Local broadcasters have been pressuring the FCC to ease up on ownership restrictions so they can more handily compete with out-of-market digital competitors. But won't consolidation lead to fewer choices for the businesses that support radio and TV -- local advertisers? Gordon & Corey take the issue to communications attorney David Oxenford from Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer LLP, who weighs in with his opinion on how consolidation ...
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As consumers turn to ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI tools for product research, advertisers are scrambling to retain visibility. In this episode, Gordon and Corey explore whether SEO budgets are shifting toward AI optimization. The podcast features an interview with Semifi CEO Patrick Briggs, who explains why AI optimization may become a core part of every marketer’s toolkit. The conversation covers the future of search, the gr...
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Digital growth rates are in the low single digits and are forecast to continue falling for the foreseeable future. So, shat happens when digital stops growing? This episode breaks down three key trends—from AI-driven disruption to changing local business dynamics—that foretell a very different future for local media. It’s not doom and gloom, but it is a wake-up call for anyone relying on the old playbook. Gordon &...
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The gap is widening between marketers who strategically adapt and those who dwell at the bottom of the marketing funnel. In this episode, Gordon and Corey pressure-test what’s actually working on the front lines by turning to a seasoned CMO, who reveals a messy reality where customer journeys are fragmented, ROI is harder than ever to prove, and gut + attribution storytelling often beats clean data. Stay in the loop with all...
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Agency owner Jessica Reyna returns to the show for a third time with a no-holds-barred look at what actually drives results in local advertising. From dismantling the “last-click” obsession to exposing how businesses get trapped by platforms like Google, she challenges conventional wisdom with sharp, practical insights. Expect a surprise at the end, when Gordon grills her on which traditional forms of media she still bu...
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AI is quickly becoming a marketing advisor for small businesses -- perhaps even replacing ad agencies and trusted media advisors. But there are pitfalls. SMB marketing maven Shannon Kinney signs in as guest co-host for this episode and explains why businesses need to think of AI as a happy intern, a powerful assistant that needs training and direction to deliver real results. The conversation also explores how AI can empower small ...
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Despite the narrative that traditional media is shrinking, one channel continues to grow. In this episode, Gordon & Corey explore why out-of-home advertising is defying gravity and how new technology is opening the door for more SMBs to buy. The show features an interview with out-of-home expert Dave Rivera from Vistar Media, which is making Digital OOH widely available through its programmatic platform. Stay in the loop with a...
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In her first-ever podcast interview ever, Audacy CEO Kelli Turner discusses the company's content-first strategy and how it will help a radio company remain relevant to digitally-obsessed local advertisers. She also describes how different Audacy might look like a decade from now. With Corey on vacation, Gordon is joined by guest co-host Shannon Kinney, an SMB marketing expert weighs in on how advertisers might view Audacy's gamepl...
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In this episode, Gordon Borrell and Corey Elliott put their own assumptions about local advertisers to the test by bringing in Shannon Kinney, founder of Dream Local Digital, who has worked with more than 90,000 businesses. Together, they unpack what SMBs really think about marketing today: deep skepticism toward inflated audience claims, an obsession with proving ROI, and a pragmatic—if still uneven—embrace of AI as a ...

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Local advertisers have shifted from seeking reach to demanding proof. Reminiscent of a dozen years ago when Facebook revenue exploded, TikTok seems at the same inflection point with a new measurement tool, TikTok Pixel. In this episode, Corey & Gordon Borrell dig into fresh research about businesses obsessed with measurements and reach a counterintuitive insight:The future of local advertising may not belong to just pixels and ...
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Gordon and Corey kick off a new season by announcing a new direction for their podcast -- talking directly to local businesses that are screaming for more help with marketing. The hosts cite evidence that many of these businesses no longer trust intermediaries and are turning to technology and self-education. It's both a wake-up call for media and agencies and a renewed commitment by Borrell to directly support the entrepreneurs wh...
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December 29, 2025 • 23 mins
Did you know AI has an official "hallucination rate?" Do you know why most AI engines have female voices? Are you aware AI isn't really your friend? Join Corey & Gordon for an entertaining episode that not only puts AI in perspective, but also has AI spitting out some practical advice for media companies. Funny and intriguing, as always. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As alwa...
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December 15, 2025 • 27 mins
From lessons learned at MTV and AOL to what genuinely keeps him up at night as CEO of iHeart, this interview with Bob Pittman offers a rare, straight-talk look at the future of radio, audio, and media leadership from one of the industry’s most influential figures. Corey & Gordon weigh in on the notion that, in a world focused on AI, this CEO sees more value focusing on humans. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell whe...
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Despite decades of digital innovation, advertisers still struggle to measure whether their marketing truly works. Corey & Gordon discuss new survey findings showing that vanity metrics like clicks and "likes" fail to provide real ROI clarity. They interview GroundTruth CEO Rosie O’Meara, who describes a solution: linking precise mobile-based location data and transaction integrations. Stay in the loop with all things Bo...
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