The Digest: Fairfield County Marketing & Media Pros

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Digest.

If one theme links the stories in this week’s issue, it’s uncertainty—and how to navigate it.

In our Marketing & Media News section, we look at how the best campaigns of 2025 cut through the chaos. We also explore how startups are refining their podcast strategies as big brands flood the space, and how YouTube’s dominance is reshaping everything from podcasts to TV.

In our Fairfield County Spotlight, uncertainty takes a more tangible form. Stamford-based Lovesac is shifting its manufacturing back to the U.S. to mitigate risks from tariffs and supply-chain disruptions. A new CBIA report confirms this isn't an isolated issue, citing workforce challenges and policy uncertainty as major hurdles for Connecticut manufacturers.

Finally, in Insights, we see how new technologies are creating their own form of uncertainty. A Pew Research study shows that 64% of teens now use AI chatbots, with nearly 30% using them daily. This rapid adoption raises new questions for marketers, as does the ongoing debate about how to effectively measure creator media.

Despite the uncertainty, the local job market remains active. We have new senior roles this week at Vineyard Vines, Conair, Mastercard, Kantar, and Synchrony.

And in our Video of the Week, Google introduces its new Agent Development Kit, a tool to simplify building complex AI agents. Marketers should take note—this is a key step toward a future where AI agents could handle everything from customer service to personalized campaign management.

That’s it for this week. Enjoying this newsletter? Please feel free to share with others and let me know your thoughts.

What’s Next?

This digest is a starting point. The goal is to build a community of senior marketing and media professionals in Fairfield County. If you have news to share, a campaign to highlight, job opportunities, or an event to promote, please email me at [email protected] 

Best,

Shawn