The Local Marketing Trends Podcast

Hosted by Gordon Borrell

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Episodes

171

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

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.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 8, 202632 min

From Small Local to Big Global: Jelly Belly Creator Tells His Story

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 business can learn about publicity, storytelling, and punching above your weight. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

May 25, 202628 min

Will Relaxing Media Ownership Rules Benefit Local Advertisers?

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 will affect digital competition, local newsrooms, consumers, and advertisers. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

May 18, 202631 min

As AI Search Explodes, What Happens to SEO Budgets?

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 growing role of social content in AI visibility, and why marketers should prepare now for a rapidly expanding AI-driven search ecosystem. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

May 4, 202622 min

The Big Digital Slowdown Has Arrived

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 & Corey offer some practical suggestions -- including finding a new job. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

April 20, 202628 min

Too Many Amateur Marketers, Too Much Bottom-Funnel Marketing

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 things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

March 30, 202631 min

The 'Antichrist' Returns With a Message about Google's Grip on SMBs

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 buys. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

March 16, 202623 min

With a Little Training, AI Marketing 'Interns' Could Supplant Agencies & Media Advisors

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 businesses to handle more marketing themselves while increasing the need for strategic advisors who add real insight. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

March 2, 202629 min

Defying Gravity, Out of Home is Set for Even Bigger Growth

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 all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

February 24, 202632 min

CEO Kelli Turner's 1st Podcast Interview: Audacy's Content-First Reorg

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 gameplan. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

February 9, 202630 min

Are Local Advertisers Fed Up With Media, Or Is It Fake News?

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 “happy intern” rather than an all-knowing oracle. The conversation challenges the idea that email and traditional media are dead, showing instead that targeted newsletters and branded content can still perform, while underscoring that scattered, low-budget tactics are often the real culprit behind disappointing results. The episode ultimately lands on a nuanced truth: local advertisers aren’t anti-media or blindly pro-digital—they’re searching for trust, clarity, and partners who can help them connect the dots between marketing effort and real business outcomes. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists.As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.