Our 2020 Preliminary Agenda

Updated Nov. 1, 2019

Monday, March 9

Conference starts at 8:30 am

 

Opening remarks

Speakers: Andrew Martin, Shari Donnermeyer, Nancy Lane

 

Scene Setter: Welcome to the Roaring ‘20s

As the decade begins, Gordon Borrell opens the conference with his view of the path ahead and how the conference program addresses the biggest concerns.

Speaker: Gordon Borrell

Keynote: Lessons from a CEO: What it Takes to Dismantle & Retool for the Future

If any CEO knows the difficulties in retooling a large, century-old media business for the digital future, it’s Joe Walsh.  In the past five years he’s restructured and rebuilt the nation’s largest yellow page company into a $1.5 billion digital powerhouse called Thryv, now serving more than 400,000 local businesses. As CEO, he’s had to make some tough decisions about people, products, what to invest in, and what to shut down.  He’ll discuss not only what it takes to retool for the future, but also the consequences companies face if they forestall those tough decisions.

Speaker:  Joe Walsh, CEO of Thryv

Keynote: Bracing for the 3rd Wave

Google represented the first wave in the 2000s. Facebook was the second, dominating the 2010s. How will Amazon – already taking $10 billion in ad revenue — dominate the 2020s? This session outlines Amazon’s game plan. How is Amazon mobilizing marketing technology companies and ad agencies to reach local businesses, and how is it likely to affect other media?

Speaker: TBA

The Local Ad Agency Perspective

How are agencies viewing the world these days? This session features executives from three regional agency who will discuss what they want from their media partners and which budgets they see as most vulnerable.

Panelists: TBA

Rapid-Fire Case Studies

Up to eight “best of the best” marketing technology and industry partners deliver case studies in rapid succession, showing the results they’ve been able to drive for clients.

Speakers:  TBA

LUNCH (12:30-1:30 PM)

AFTERNOON TRACK SESSIONS

Three simultaneous tracks explore key growth opportunities: video, Amazon services, and Podcasting/Voice Search. Each starts with a session on the basics – designed to get the audience up to speed and to offer graphics and other information suitable for marketing kits. Each track will have three 40-minute sessions.

TRACK 1: TAPPING THE VIDEO CRAZE

  • The Basics: Become a Video Expert in Less Than an Hour
  • Selling into the OTT Platforms
  • Tired of Piddling: Where the Big Money is in Video

TRACK 2: HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH AMAZON

  • Amazon by the numbers: Ad offerings, customers, strategy, success
  • Amazon’s major martech partners & what they provide
  • What Amazon services local businesses will buy (from you)

TRACK 3: MAKING MONEY WITH PODCASTING & VOICE SEARCH

  • Audio Streaming by the Numbers: Offerings, who’s buying, success
  • All About Local Podcasting: How-to, content, sales, marketing
  • Voice Search: Where’s the Money?

Networking Cocktail Reception (5-7 pm)

Tuesday, March 10

Conference starts at 8:30 am

 

Welcome

 

Scene-Setter: The Broad, Complex, Dynamic Marketing Environment (Demystified)

This no-holds-barred session examines the latest trends on where audiences are turning and how it’s affecting local marketing budgets, with a eye toward where ad-buyers are seeing their greatest ROI.

Speakers: Corey Elliott, EVP, Borrell Associates; one other TBA

 

MORNING TRACK SESSIONS

Two simultaneous tracks explore ways to diversify revenue beyond traditional forms of advertising sales. Each track features four 40-minute sessions.

 

TRACK 1: TAPPING CONSUMERS REVENUE STREAMS

  • What Drives Consumers to Buy Information?
  • Digital Subscriptions: Where it’s working best
  • Are digital subs sustainable in small/midsize markets?
  • Consumer Revenue Strategies for Broadcasters

 

TRACK 2: FOCUSING ON FOUR KEY VERTICALS

  • Home Improvement
  • Automotive
  • Health Care
  • Real Estate

 

LUNCH (12:30-1:30 PM)

 

Rapid-Fire Case Studies

Up to eight “best of the best” marketing technology and industry partners deliver case studies in rapid succession, showing the results they’ve been able to drive for clients.

Speakers: TBA

 

Channeling Local Advertisers

Always the most popular session, a panel of local and regional advertisers reveal how they’re changing their buying patterns and how local media companies can help them. Here’s where the rubber meets the road.

Panelists:  Gordon Borrell (moderator); panelists TBA

 

Wrap-up

Observations and Key Takeaways from 2 Days of Full Immersion

With a lot of help from attendees, this session boils it all down. What was most interesting? What was BS? What are the biggest takeaways you’ll bring home?

Panelists: Corey Elliott, Jim Brown, & the audience

 

Conference Ends at 3:00 p.m.