In this solo episode of Hustle Inspires Hustle, Alex Quin breaks down how money in the music industry hasn’t disappeared—it has shifted. Traditional spending on radio, press, tours, and long-term artist development is shrinking, while budgets are moving toward platforms that already control daily attention, such as live streaming, creator networks, gaming, sports, and podcasting. He explains that time-based engagement now drives ROI, meaning artists and brands must compete for consistent attention rather than rely on legacy systems. The episode emphasizes that this isn’t a collapse of music, but a reallocation of resources toward where audiences spend the most time.

Episode Outline:

[00:00:00] Introduction – The quiet shift changing money in music

[00:00:28] Traditional music industry spending patterns

[00:01:05] Reduced upfront artist development and cautious budgets

[00:01:27] Where the money actually moved

[00:01:52] Music competing for attention across platforms

[00:02:24] Live streaming vs. music streaming explained

[00:02:48] Drake and time-based cultural presence

[00:03:15] Creator ecosystems attracting major budgets

[00:03:34] Fewer development deals and shorter promo cycles

[00:03:55] Offline impact: concerts, merch, and selective spending

[00:04:18] Questions about leverage, time, and behavior

[00:04:36] Final takeaway: It’s a reallocation, not a collapse

[00:04:44] Call to action and closing

Wisdom Nuggets:

Attention Is the New Currency: Money follows behavior. If audiences are spending hours on live streams and creator platforms, that’s where brands will invest. Cultural relevance now depends on time earned, not legacy status.

Consistency Beats Tradition: Release cycles used to dominate marketing budgets. Now, consistent daily engagement outperforms one-time promotional pushes. Platforms that hold attention every day win long-term investment.

Shorter Runways Demand Smarter Strategy: With fewer long-term development deals, artists must think like businesses. Ownership of audience and engagement metrics matter more than ever.

Competition Is Broader Than Ever: Music is no longer competing only with other artists. It competes with gaming, live streamers, podcasts, and sports content for the same screen time.

Reallocation Isn’t Collapse: Industries evolve. When money shifts, it creates opportunity for those who adapt. The key question becomes: are you building behaviors that attract investment?

Power Quotes

"Music used to dominate cultural attention by default. Now it has to compete for it." - Alex Quin

"Money hasn't left entertainment. It's become more selective." - Alex Quin

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

Our Community

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*This page may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. When you click on these links or engage with the sponsored content and make a purchase or take some other action, we may receive a commission or compensation at no additional cost to you. We only promote products or services that we genuinely believe will add value to our readers & listeners.*

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Hustle Inspires Hustle, Alex Quin breaks down how artificial intelligence took center stage during Super Bowl 2026 advertising, based on reporting by Trishla Ostwal via Adweek. With 23% of all Super Bowl ads featuring AI, this episode explores the sharp divide between companies advertising AI products and brands using AI behind the scenes. From brand positioning to user adoption data and emotional audience response, Alex highlights why AI isn't just a marketing trend—it's becoming marketing infrastructure.

Episode Outline:

[00:00] Intro – Why Super Bowl ads matter in marketing strategy

[00:28] AI stats: 15 of 65 ads (23%) featured AI, via iSpot

[01:05] Two types of advertisers: AI companies vs consumer brands using AI

[01:45] Awareness vs usage: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude adoption stats

[02:23] eMarketer projections: ChatGPT usage through 2029

[02:50] Audience reactions: likability, purchase intent, emotional response

[03:20] Why clarity is the new advantage in crowded conversations

[03:30] Final question for marketers + show wrap-up

Wisdom Nuggets:

Normalization Shifts the Strategy: Once a product like AI becomes normalized, the marketing challenge shifts from “What is it?” to “Why should I care?” That shift demands smarter messaging.

Adoption Takes Time—Even with Awareness : Even though ChatGPT has high name recognition, actual usage is still catching up. Marketers need to respect the adoption curve and tailor campaigns accordingly.

Advertising ≠ Explaining : There’s a difference between showcasing a product and making people understand it. That gap can define success or failure, especially at the Super Bowl scale.

Reaction Is the Real Metric : With massive spend and reach almost guaranteed, what matters most is how people react emotionally. The most memorable campaigns connect, not just broadcast.

Clarity Wins in Noisy Markets : When many brands say similar things, the one with the clearest and most relatable message sticks. Clear beats clever when everyone's shouting.

Power Quotes

“Even with massive awareness, usage still grows in stages—and that gap matters.” - Alex Quin

“AI is now everywhere during the Super Bowl. The next question is—who’s actually advertising it?” - Alex Quin

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

Our Community

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/hustleinspireshustle)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/HustleInspires)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/hustle-inspires-hustle)

Website: (https://hustleinspireshustle.com)

*This page may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. When you click on these links or engage with the sponsored content and make a purchase or take some other action, we may receive a commission or compensation at no additional cost to you. We only promote products or services that we genuinely believe will add value to our readers & listeners.*

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Hustle Inspires Hustle, Alex Quin sits down with Brandon Travin, Director of Sales and Partnerships at Resident.com, a legacy luxury lifestyle publication founded by his father in 1988. Brandon shares how he helped transform the brand from a print-focused magazine into a modern, digitally dominant media company with a domain authority of 70. They discuss the power of SEO, personalized brand partnerships, email marketing, luxury events, and leveraging AI in content. Brandon emphasizes the value of storytelling, long-term relationships, and meeting clients where they are. The episode also highlights the importance of combining tradition with innovation while staying true to brand values in the fast-evolving luxury media space.

Episode Outline:

[00:00:00] Intro and welcome

[00:01:30] Brandon's background and Resident.com origin story

[00:05:45] From local paper to global luxury publication

[00:09:10] Family legacy and media industry roots

[00:12:00] Brandon’s digital transformation strategy

[00:16:50] Growing Resident.com’s domain authority to 70

[00:19:20] Balancing print and digital

[00:22:00] Focus on travel, real estate, fashion, dining

[00:25:45] Brand activations, events, and client strategies

[00:29:30] High-profile covers, celebrity features

[00:32:10] The power of storytelling in luxury branding

[00:36:15] Leveraging AI and multilingual content

[00:41:30] Sales wins and in-person dealmaking

[00:43:45] Brandon’s values and how he wants to be remembered

Wisdom Nuggets:

Legacy Can Fuel Innovation: Brandon Travin didn’t just inherit a company—he brought it into the digital age, using Resident.com’s trusted legacy as a launchpad for tech-driven growth.

SEO is a Long Game: Achieving a domain authority of 70 in under three years came from consistency, content upgrades, and leveraging the strength of the Resident.com domain.

Print Still Has Power, But Digital Scales: Print remains a high-touch brand tool, while Resident.com drives scalable traffic and conversion—showing how modern media needs both.

Sell With Purpose, Not Pressure: Brandon highlights that listening deeply to client goals and customizing media plans around their KPIs builds trust and long-term wins.

Meet Clients Where They Are: From targeted email campaigns to luxury events and global SEO visibility, Resident.com’s success lies in reaching audiences across every relevant channel.

Power Quotes

“It doesn’t always have to be money—you don’t always need to make something out of the relationship.” - Alex Quin

“Luxury is personal. You gotta meet clients in person.” - Brandon Travin

“I want Resident.com to be the go-to for luxury in every major city.”

Connect with Brandon:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/brandon.travin)

Linkedin: (linkedin.com/in/brandontravin)

Resident Magazine Website (https://resident.com/)

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

Our Community

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/hustleinspireshustle)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/HustleInspires)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/hustle-inspires-hustle)

Website: (https://hustleinspireshustle.com)

*This page may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. When you click on these links or engage with the sponsored content and make a purchase or take some other action, we may receive a commission or compensation at no additional cost to you. We only promote products or services that we genuinely believe will add value to our readers & listeners.*

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.