Our 2019 Agenda
Sunday March 10
6:30-8:00 PM
Welcome to NYC Cocktail Party & Pre-Registration
Join us for this popular, lively pre-conference event with heavy hors d’oeuvres and open bar. There’s great interaction and conversation as the industry’s leaders, old friends, and new faces come together for a warm reception to Manhattan. Join us on the Ball Room Level in the Main Conference area. Sponsored by:
Monday, March 11
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast
Join us for a full breakfast in the spacious dining area adjacent to the registration desk.
Sponsored by: 
8:30
Welcome
The State of Local Advertising
Gordon Borrell sets the scene for the next two days by laying out the most important trends unfolding in 2019. This session includes a frank look, in classic Borrell style, at where things are headed – especially as they pertain to new, sudden disruptions facing broadcast media – and how the agenda addresses those issues.
KEYNOTE: Why Traditional Media Matters in a Cross-Platform World
Media is proliferating across multiple platforms and audiences are following suit, but what does this mean for traditional media? In this scene-setter presentation, Comscore President Sarah Hofstetter will dive into new research around Gen X, Y, and Z’s news consumption habits and what that means for traditional media.
Mastering OTT Via Content and Ad Sales
Sinclair Broadcasting, the largest TV group with 171 stations across 89 markets, spent 2018 developing its OTT strategy. Its new platform, CompulseOTT, launched last August, allows Sinclair reps to sell 15- and 30-second locally targeted spots across multiple OTT distribution platforms. Soon it will launch a new owned “local-first” OTT service called STIRR.
Will Pandora Double-Down on Local in 2019?
With SiriusXM as its new, deep-pockets parent, Pandora has new wind in its sales. The company has spent the past year expanding its sales staff in key local markets. It started 2018 with 137 sellers in 37 local markets and continues to expand. Leon VanGelder, who leads Pandora’s local efforts, will lay out where the company is headed in 2019.
Speaker: Leon VanGelder, VP of SMB, Local & Inside Sales, Pandora
10:30
Break—Refreshments in the exhibit hall
10:45
What’s In Store for ‘Local’ As Facebook Heads into 2019
Facebook continues to see remarkable growth in ad revenue, up 44% in the first half of 2018. With a renewed focus on local media companies, the company seeks to engage broadcast and print media companies to harness Facebook’s advertising and marketing capabilities. Phillip Rather, who leads Facebook’s local advertising initiative, will tell us about new tools and targeting capabilities being rolled out, as well as who’s taking advantage of those programs.
Advantage, Brick & Mortar: Innovations in Local Targeting
Ad targeting has become very sophisticated, with growing focus on a consumer’s location. Ads are delivered to people based on whether they walked into a competitor’s store, where they were Friday night, or where they’re standing right now. Even your neighbors are targeted based on your purchases. If you buy a new Lexus, they may get postcards showing a Lexus in their driveways as well. Asif Khan, who’s at the forefront of local targeting as president of the Local Based Marketing Association, lays out how mobile devices, GPS, and beacons are solving the “last mile” advertising opportunity for SMBs.
Speaker: Asif Khan, Founder & President, Local Based Marketing Association
Rapid-Fire Best-In-Class Case Studies, Part I
One of the highest-rated sessions of Borrell’s past conferences, these fast-paced presentations are laden with money-making ideas. Eight companies have been challenged to tell their stories in five minutes or less, using one dynamic example of success at the local level.
Speakers:·
- Site Impact –Pete Conti
- Simpli Fi-James Moore
- AffinityX –Adam Burnham
- Reveal Mobile- Eric Burns
- Marketron – Mark Weidel
Moderator:Dr. Ian Turnipseed, Executive Communication Coach, The Speech Improvement Company
12:25
2019 Borrell Award of Merit Presentation
Each year Borrell recognizes a top industry executive who’s contributed the most to digital transformation in the past year. Previous recipients have been Clark Gilbert of Deseret Media, Perry Sook of Nexstar Broadcasting, Jim Moroney of Belo Corp., Colleen Brown of Fisher Broadcasting, and Adam Symson of Scripps.
12:30-2:00
LUNCH & NETWORKING
Join us for lunch in the spacious dining area adjacent to the exhibit hall and ballroom.
Sponsored by:
2:00-5:00
AFTERNOON TRACK SESSIONS (SIMULTANEOUS)
Two simultaneous, three-hour tracks offer drill-downs on many of the topics addressed on the main stage. Each session runs about 40 minutes and features panelists and a heavy dose of audience interaction via Q&A.
sponsored by:
Lessons Learned: How Media Companies Succeed in Selling Local Marketing Services to Clients
This scene-setter session by entrepreneurial problem-solver and Tapclick’s CEO Babak Hedayati addresses what media companies have learned – good and bad – by wandering into the sticky world of trying to sell marketing services to clients.
Advantage: Traditional Media
If you’re having a hard time convincing advertisers to buy print or broadcast media, you’ll want to attend this session. There’s strong evidence that a hefty dose of print or broadcast advertising makes digital marketing far more effective. This session features case new research and case studies that you can take straight to advertisers.
Panelists: Jamie Cohen, VP of Local Digital, Salem Media Group
Jenny Sutton, Digital Sales Director, Cox Media Group
Understanding Data to Craft a Compelling ROI Story
Media companies are sitting on a goldmine of data that most don’t even realize exists. Understanding what data is important and helping your advertisers interpreted their data is helping sales departments create powerful stories about proof of performance and ROI. In this session you’ll learn where to find that data, what it means, and how to tell those stories.
Panelists: Gary Smith, Vice President of The Seattle Times; Regan Davis, Vice President of Tapclicks
Social Media Management Mess? How Some Companies Are Doing it at Scale
The demand to help SMBs with social media has skyrocketed. But the workload of managing multiple clients’ pages – whether it’s organic postings or paid ads – can sap profits fast. This session features local media companies that have cracked the code, integrating postings across multiple platforms and generating healthy profits (and happy clients).
Panelists: Richard Lumsden, Vice President, Soci
Best Practices: Creating Operational Efficiencies Within Your Digital Operation
So many vendors to deal with. So many products to sell. So many clients – internal and external – to serve. This session features two companies that have honed their sales, production, implementation, and billing processes to create high levels of efficiency and ROI.
Panelists: Brian Kennett, Vice President of the Star-Tribune; Leslye Schumacher, co-founder of Vici Media
TRACK II : Leveraging Data & Organizing Sales Teams to Win
How Data Is Driving Go-To-Market Efforts
Navigating the word of data and how best to leverage it for your go-to-market efforts continues to be a hot topic of debate. Longtime sales leader and SaaS expert Lem Lloyd shares recent findings on the state of customer data (across leading media and enterprise teach companies) and how successful companies are unlocking its value to empower their sales forces.
SPEAKER: Lem Lloyd, SVP, Buzzboard
How Artificial Intelligence Has Come Into Play at the Local Level
AI is certainly a buzzword, but you might be surprised to learn the advantages already in play at the local level. Fresh from authoring a new book on the topic, programmatic advertising expert William Ammerman offers a fascinating look at the data behind AI and how it’s beginning to shape local advertising opportunities.
SPEAKER: William Ammerman, EVP of Digital Media, Six Sails Group
How to Fish in the Data Pool Without Drowning
This track examines how leading media companies are leveraging data to change the way they’re going to market. Learn how to get more out of your CRM platform, focus on the right type of customer and restructure your sales teams and strategy to win.
PANELISTS:
Finding Your Best Customer (And Avoiding the Worst)
What makes a good client? Learn how companies are using different data sets to better know their current clients and also to target their future best customers. Reduce customer churn and LTV by being more choosy in who your sales teams are pitching and prospecting.
PANELISTS: Amy LittleField, VP/GM Platform Services at ThriveHive
5:30-7:00 PM
Networking Cocktail Party
Join us for a fun and lively gathering of fellow attendees that features networking, hors d’oeuvres, and whatever type of cocktail your heart desires.
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, March 12
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast
Enjoy a full breakfast in the spacious dining area adjacent to the registration desk.
SPECIAL SESSION: BRINGING DEALERS BACK TO LOCAL MEDIA
Join us for this special pre-conference session discussing how auto manufacturers’ co-op programs are increasingly dictate that dealers spend more in digital media — to the detriment of traditional media. Can anything be done to stop the tide? This session examines the issues and how some dealers have opted out of co-op, returned to traditional forms of media in a bigger way, and found greater ROI in all cases.
SPEAKER: John Fitzpatrick, co-founder, Force Marketing
8:30
Welcome to Day 2
Recap of Monday’s Session, What’s in Store Today
When it comes to taking the pulse of a conference, there’s nothing quite like reading attendees’ Tweets and back channel chatter. Jim Brown kicks off Day 2 with a fast-paced review of the Twitter feed and a summary of Monday’s most interesting sessions – as well as a quick glance at the upcoming morning and afternoon sessions.
100 Blips on the Radar, But Watch These 3
We’ve challenged SMB guru Corey Elliott to distill all the surveys he’s conducted in the past 12 months ang give us the 3 biggest trends you should be watching in 2019. Brace yourself: This guy is whipsmart . . . and funny, too.
Speaker: Corey Elliott, Exec. VP of Local Market Intelligence, Borrell Associates
Why Yelp Is Pursuing Local Marketing Partners
Consumer reviews act as spotlights that draw wallet-ready buyers. And the most influential site of all is Yelp, according to consumers. But Yelp has evolved into much more than that. Darnell Holloway, one the company’s earliest employees, talks about Yelp’s history, its latest developments, and its partnership program for marketing companies.
Speaker: Darnell Holloway, Director of Business Outreach, Yelp
Radio’s Most Aggressive Approach to Digital
When it comes to developing digital initiatives, there’s no other radio group quite like Townsquare Media. With 321 stations across 67 markets, Townsquare captures a dominant share of the addressable digital advertising in many of its markets, beating out most competitors. We’ll hear from Tim Pirrone, who heads up Townsquare Interactive’s fast-growing, 400-employee operation in Charlotte.
Who’s Buying OTT, And Where is the Local Market Headed?
Skyrocketing usage of Roku, Netflix, Hulu, and other OTT channel providers has spurred a corresponding demand at the local level for commercials. But what are local marketers buying, and what are their expectations of OTT? Jim Wilson, founder and president of one of the largest OTT platforms, Premion, offers a front-line assessment from candid conversations with hundreds of local agencies and ad buyers and ride-alongs with sales reps.
10:30-
Break—Refreshments in the exhibit hall
The Google News Initiative: What’s Been Accomplished, What’s Ahead
Google launched the Google News Initiative (GNI) in March 2018 to help the news industry thrive in the digital age. Partnerships with local media companies have been built around quality journalism, financial stability, innovation, and collaboration. Rebekah Dopp, a recovering TV executive now at Google and dedicated to all things local, will address what’s been accomplished and what’s ahead for 2019.
Speaker: Rebekah Dopp, Strategic Partner Lead, Google Global Partnerships
Why ‘Promotions’ Have Become a Key Driver of Ad Sales
The complexity of digital and traditional marketing offerings has given rise to promotions – those creative, short-term campaigns that drive immediate customer interactions and sales. And nothing excites advertisers more. Promotions expert Matt Coen show how digital media – particularly social media – is breathing new life into advertising and driving revenue for many ad staffs.
Local Ad Fraud May Be Bigger Than You Think
Increasingly, local media sites are being subjected to cyber attacks that steal valuable ad inventory and can scare away site users. We’ll hear firsthand from three experts who will share findings from an ongoing study of ad fraud at the local level. They’ll also address how sites can protect users and ferret out fraud.
Speakers:
Rusty Coats, founder, AdHack.org;
James Byrd, COO, OpsCo;
Maggie Louie, CEO, DEVCON
Best-In-Class, Rapid-Fire Case Studies, Part II
One of the highest-rated sessions of Borrell’s past conferences, these fast-paced presentations are laden with money-making ideas. Eight companies have been challenged to tell their stories in five minutes or less, using one dynamic example of success at the local level.
Speakers:
- Vendasta- Jeff Tomlin
- AdCellerant – Brock Berry
- NinjaCat – Paul Devaral
- Uberall – Tehsin Daya
- Matrix – Mark Gorman
- Force Marketing – John W. Fitzpatrick
Moderator: Dr. Ian Turnipseed, Executive Communication Coach, The Speech Improvement Company
12:30-2:00
LUNCH & NETWORKING
Join us for lunch in the spacious dining area adjacent to the exhibit hall and ballroom.
Sponsored by:
Finding Sustainable Business Models: How the LMA & LMC Will Use Facebook’s Million-Dollar Investment
Funded by $1 million from Facebook’s Journalism Project, the Local Media Association and Local Media Consortium are tackling a program to develop viable business models around branded content. The program will work with broadcast and print media, as well as local digital-only publishers, to create a branded-content strategy that encompasses content development, packaging, sales collateral, training, and best practices to help publishers generate more revenue. Key executives of the LMA and LMC describe the project and the initial call for pilot partners.
Speakers: Nancy Lane, President, LMA; Fran Wills, CEO, LMC
Waze Proves It’s All About Location, Location, Location
Waze, Google’s award-winning navigation app, has been amassing a remarkable database of driver’s movements. It’s opened up dynamic opportunities for SMBs, which Waze has been developing with the help of local radio, TV, outdoor, and newspaper companies. Back by popular demand, Waze’s Justin Nabozna offers insights into the value proposition, and performance, for advertisers.
Who “Owns” Digital Sales? Structure & Compensation to Drive Revenue Growth
Since the first banner ad was sold two decades ago, sales teams have struggled with who “owns” digital sales, how reps should be compensated, and what sales support resources are needed. Through hundreds of client engagements and ongoing research, the Alexander Group has uncovered compelling evidence on the best sales strategies to drive revenue growth. Nationally known growth experts David Cichelli and Matt Bartels discuss the critical mandates to ensure your media ad sales team is structured and compensated for success.
Speakers: David Cichelli, SVP; Matt Bartels, Principal– The Alexander Group
3:30
WRAPUP: Highlights & Conclusions, and a Checklist to Take Home
This interactive session will offer key observations from the past two days, but spend more time compiling an action list for attendees. What’s the first thing you’ll change when you get back at your desk?
Speakers: Gordon Borrell, Corey Elliott, Jim Brown, Borrell Associates
4:30
Conference Ends
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Exhibitors
Media Partners
