Upfronts and NewFronts

Broadcast and cable upfronts generated about $20 billion in ad dollars, in typical years

📺 TV Upfront and 💻 digital NewFronts presentations are happening this month, at the start of important advertising sales periods.

🤑 In the television industry, an upfront is a gathering at the start of important advertising sales periods, held by television network executives and attended by major advertisers and the media. It is so named because of its main purpose, to allow marketers to buy television commercial airtime "up front", or several months before the television season begins.

☄️ In return, these networks promise “reach”. But traditional TV viewership continues to shrink (Super Bowl 2021 saw its worst ratings since 2007, and the Oscars didn't make it any better). There is a greater focus on cross-platform, the selling of ads on linear TV combined with streaming video.

👀 Check out what Disney, WarnerMedia, CBS, and others have been presenting!

👨‍💻 NewFronts are digital media’s take on the traditional TV upfronts, with online publishers, platforms and other companies hosting (virtual) presentations, where Amazon recently joined companies like Twitter, Snap, and YouTube in pitching advertisers. Don’t miss the main intakes from this year’s event!

Mario Wagner