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It may be a metaphorical stretch, but convenience stores are like the general store and travel waystation of the 19th century: they are essential to their communities, but as with so many retail sectors during the pandemic, the transformation already begun must accelerate so convenience stores remain vital. Some convenience stores have been critical during the pandemic, such as the Arivaca Mercantile in Arivaca, AZ, as the nearest gas station and grocery store are more than 35 miles distance.

Whatever the world throws at US consumers – inflation, limited inventory, higher prices and interest rates, recessions and even drastic weather and a pandemic – they are unstoppable. Since they are responsible for approximately 70% of total GDP, they better not stop. Although current economic conditions may cause many Americans to pause or re-prioritize their spending, total seasonally adjusted retail and food services sales during March 2023 was $6.92 trillion – and only exceeded by January’s and February’s total.

Undoubtedly, many Boomers would agree the “OK Boomer” meme is a minor skirmish compared to the classic “Generation Gap” they experienced during the 1960s. Despite, these age-old generational disagreements, Baby Boomers are generally in a very good place. Thousands are retiring daily, but they and those who are still working are more active, healthier and more involved in social issues than previous generations.

Business Background

• Market Growth: Luxury car market continues to expand driven by increasing income, affluent population, and desire for premium features (source: J.D. Power)
• Shifting Consumer Preferences: SUVs and crossovers outselling sedans their versatility, practicality, and perceived status (source: Automotive News)
• Technological Advancements: Electric vehicles (EVs) gaining traction such as Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi leading the charge (source: IHS Markit)
• Competition: Intense competition among established brands and emerging players like Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Motors challenging traditional luxury brands
• Economic Factors: Macroeconomic conditions influence demand, and strong economy generally favors luxury car sales

I am never without a book, whether it’s a hardcover or an audiobook. If I’m doing anything that allows me to listen to a book, you’ll find me with an audiobook. I used to buy books for my clients, only to see them collect dust, unopened and unread. Right now, the One-Up Book Club is on its second round. The first five books include Nate Silver’s On the Edge, How Migration Works by Hein de Haas, Overruled by Neil Gorsuch and Janie Nitze, Minds Wide Shut by Garry Saul Morson and Morton Schapiro, and Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari.

There’s a whole lot more to recruiting the right person for your team than just matching resumes to job descriptions. It’s about cultivating experiences and creating an impression that goes beyond a mere transaction. In today’s candidate-led job market, your company’s reputation matters—a lot. Many of the people who have the power to influence your reputation are those you’re recruiting. It’s not just about the role you’re filling anymore; it’s also about building relationships.

How a Sickly Kid from Toronto Built a Media Empire and What Local Sales Pros Can Learn Today
Ted Rogers, born into hardship after the early death of his father, overcame health issues and financial setbacks to build one of Canada’s largest media and telecommunications empires. Starting with a struggling FM radio station, he bet on emerging technologies and turned Rogers Communications into a powerhouse spanning radio, TV, wireless, and sports. His success was driven by relentless work ethic, visionary thinking, and a willingness to take bold risks when others hesitated. Rogers believed in long-term relationships, customer value, and giving back—donating millions to education, healthcare, and civic causes. His story teaches media sales and ad professionals that resilience, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership are the keys to lasting success.

Radio is facing the challenges of streaming services, new sources of digital audio content and podcasting. Radio’s business challenges are more complex, including heated debates about deregulation and traditional infighting among broadcast companies and local stations. As Facebook and others actively develop the “metaverse,” the audio medium will expand even further. Radio must present a united front to be fully integrated into any future metaverse while maintaining its unique position for listeners and advertisers.

Chatbots are AI-powered tools that simulate human conversation and are and will be increasingly used in media sales to automate lead generation, campaign planning, and customer support. Companies like Sephora, H M, and regional newspapers have successfully deployed chatbots to improve engagement and streamline ad operations. The benefits include 24/7 availability, scalability, and data collection, but drawbacks such as poor user experience, limited understanding, and brand risk remain significant. Experts emphasize the importance of using chatbots strategically, with clear escalation paths and human oversight. Ultimately, chatbots are best used as productivity enhancers—not replacements for authentic, human-driven media relationships.

The 2025 Marketing Brew Summit revealed that agility is now the defining skill in marketing, with 87% of marketers calling it essential as the industry rapidly evolves toward 2026. Marketers are shifting focus from AI upskilling to experimenting with new channels—especially social, influencer, and emerging platforms—while simultaneously prioritizing better attribution and outcome-based measurement. Despite this ambition, most teams remain under-resourced and structurally slow, forcing marketers to “do more with less” and improvise speed within rigid systems. For local media sales teams and agencies, the insights signal opportunity: agile local campaigns, modular testing packages, and measurable ROI can outperform national one-size-fits-all models. The future of local marketing success will depend on turning experimentation into strategy, measurement into proof, and community engagement into long-term brand value.

After years of chasing rented reach on big platforms, marketers are swinging back toward owned channels, (email lists, newsletters, website, blogs, traditional medium, podcasts, loyalty programs, social pages) with 65% planning to reinvest in email while using AI as core infrastructure to drive personalization, speed, and efficiency. It shows that no single owned channel dominates—email, SMS, loyalty programs, apps, and physical locations all contribute—while paid channels like search, retail media, CTV, and social continue to grow as feeders into those owned relationships rather than replacements. The story highlights a major gap in podcast adoption versus perceived opportunity, rising investment in account-based marketing, and a broader shift from demographic targeting to community- and values-based brand building, with data privacy and trust as central themes. For local market media reps and agencies, there’s a playbook to sell “total local ecosystems” (email + CTV + audio + community), to make AI’s benefits concrete in local campaigns, and to position themselves as the strategists who help brands build durable, owned relationships—not just buy impressions.

A new study suggests that AI disclaimers on political ads may reduce trust in the message even when the ad itself contains little or no AI-generated content. For local media sellers and agency professionals, that creates a new planning issue: AI may improve speed and efficiency, but required disclosures could weaken credibility and audience receptivity. The takeaway for radio, TV, cable, print, outdoor and digital professionals is that AI use in campaign creative should be evaluated not just for compliance and cost savings, but for its effect on persuasion and trust.

This article provides valuable insights for local media salespeople in newspapers, magazines, billboards, TV, and digital platforms. It covers recent developments in the automotive industry, including tariff adjustments, technological advancements, and production shifts. Understanding these changes can help media sales professionals tailor their strategies to better serve automotive clients and capitalize on new advertising opportunities.

For the first time since 2009, total media usage across the U.S. and Canada is expected to decline, with a projected 0.3% dip in 2025 according to PQ Media. The slowdown highlights how digital media growth can no longer offset traditional media declines — but it also reinforces that traditional media still commands strong, high-quality audiences. For local media sellers, it’s a prime opportunity to position broadcast, print, and trusted digital outlets as powerful, stable options for advertisers aiming to maximize reach in a fragmented landscape.