In this episode of the 100 Marketers Project, Andrew Street and Matthew Davis sit down with Kate Howell, the Marketing Director for Mullinax Automotive, a group spanning 12 rooftops and 13 stores. Kate discusses her journey of transitioning from a building products agency into automotive and the unique challenge of building an in-house ad agency from the ground up.

The conversation dives into the importance of brand identity—specifically Mullinax’s "shiny, happy, simple, easy, fun" philosophy—and how to maintain a distinct look in a market full of cookie-cutter advertising. Kate also shares her perspective on the "power in numbers" when building relationships with OEMs like Ford and her forward-looking goals for 2026, including a major focus on data hygiene and CRM integration.

• From Building Products to Ford Trucks: Kate’s transition into the auto industry.
• The Stealth Scale-Up: How Mullinax secretly built an internal agency and replaced their outside providers in just months.
• "Shiny Happy People": Defining and defending a strict brand style guide in a sea of generic ads.
• The First One-Price Store: Leveraging "no dealer fees" and transparent pricing as a powerful marketing hook.
• Winning at Reputation: How Mullinax reached the top 10 in the country for review velocity and response.
• Power in Numbers: Partnering with other dealers to influence OEM technology and dashboards.
• The 2026 Roadmap: Why data hygiene and DMS cleansing are the next big frontiers for dealership profitability.
• Ringing the Bell: Why the marketing director’s primary job is to get them to the door and drop them off.

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In this episode of the 100 Marketers Project, we’re joined by Ashley Cavazos and Shaun Kniffin of NCM Associates to unpack what’s really happening inside dealerships today — and what leaders need to pay attention to next.

Both Ashley and Shaun bring a unique perspective to the conversation, having previously served as marketing directors inside dealerships, giving them firsthand experience with the day-to-day realities of dealer operations, internal challenges, and performance pressures. Now at NCM, they work closely with dealers across the country, offering a rare blend of practical, in-store experience and high-level operational insight.

This episode is a must-listen for dealer principals, GMs, and marketing leaders who want clarity in a noisy market — and practical insight into how the best-performing stores are adapting.

Key Topics:

• What NCM is seeing across dealerships nationwide right now
• The biggest operational challenges holding dealers back
• Why performance problems are rarely just a marketing issue
• The growing importance of alignment between marketing, sales, and fixed ops
• How economic pressure is forcing smarter, more disciplined decision-making
• Where dealers are overspending — and where they should refocus
• Why accountability and process matter more than new tactics
• The role of leadership in driving sustainable dealership performance
• How data should be used to guide decisions (not just report results)
• Common mistakes dealers make when reacting to short-term market shifts
• What top-performing dealers are doing differently today
• Advice for dealers navigating uncertainty in 2025 and beyond

This episode is a must-listen for dealer principals, GMs, and marketing leaders who want clarity in a noisy market — and practical insight into how the best-performing stores are adapting.

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In this episode of The 100 Marketers Project, we sit down with Adeline Fusco, Marketing Director for Keeler, an eight-dealership automotive group spanning Connecticut and New York.

Adeline shares what it’s really like managing marketing across luxury brands like BMW and Genesis, and why people-first, human content has become one of her most powerful growth drivers. From building trust through employee-focused organic social, to running motorsports events, email campaigns with 30%+ open rates, and navigating brand awareness challenges for emerging luxury brands, this conversation is packed with real-world insights.

We also dive into:

• Why organic social is outperforming follower growth metrics
  
  
• How Keeler uses content to combat declining website traffic and zero-click search
  
  
• The role of email marketing in owning your customer base
  
  
• Balancing brand building vs. lead generation
  
  
• Thoughts on AI, authenticity, and why genuine voice still wins
  
  
• What Adeline is testing next as the group expands into new markets
  
  

If you’re a marketing leader in automotive (or any industry) looking to create trust, stand out in crowded markets, and make marketing actually work for the business — this episode is for you.

Like what you hear?

Subscribe and follow along as we talk with more brilliant marketing minds shaping the future of automotive retail.

Think you got what it takes to be a guest?

Contact Ashley: ashley@dealeromg.com and lets get your opinion out into the world!