State of television activity: 5 take -away meals of the upfront week

This week, I attended events from Amazon, Disney, Nbcuniversal and other streaming and network giants in New York, where they made their biggest launches for advertising buyers.

The Upfronts TV is an annual series of presentations and celebrations during which the sellers of television advertisements are doing their best to sell most of their inventory. Given the macro nervous environment and the decline in the visualization of linear television, the embodiment of this year should be a buyer market. A recent Emarketer forecast estimated that prices could lead to transport this year up to $ 4.1 billion, a drop of 23.5% compared to last year.

However, the show must continue. And as far as I can see, the cloud of uncertainty did not prevent people from going out. They packed ballrooms and concert halls to obtain exclusive eggs during the fourth season of “The Bear” on Hulu and the suite of “Wicked”, sip free alcohol and catch Lady Gaga.

But the most entertaining moment of the week was to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, who came to Amazon to connect his Christmas film, “The Man with the Bag”. He had the groaning crowd and laughing as he walked – until his Costar of the “real lie” Jamie Lee Curtis withdrew him from the scene.

Behind the celebrity celebrations and antics, however, I could have an idea of ​​the evolution of advertising activity – and five clear dishes emerged.

1. The world has changed

In the midst of what is generally a festive atmosphere, media societies could not entirely avoid recognizing that the world has changed. The sellers had to say enough to show that they were sympathetic at the time, but not killing the atmosphere. It was a party, after all.

Nbcuniversal sales manager Mark Marshall launched the week with a sign of the economic winds (and why they should not prevent brands from staying on the air). Disney Rita Ferro also turned the uncertain climate and how Disney was a question of flexibility, a game for inconsistent advertisers.

Overall, however, the leaders tried to keep the atmosphere light. It was therefore notable that Jimmy Kimmel of ABC pleaded for advertisers to support the “60 minutes” of CBS Rivaux, which is in the reticle of President Donald Trump.

2. YouTube is looming, even if media societies did not dare to speak his name

The Valuvised television viewing of Youtube – and the economy of creators on which it is built – was one of the biggest media stories of the past year.

The studios have taken note.

This year’s upfrits have offered more signs of the quarter work, with Amazon renewing the “Beast Games” of Top Top of YouTuber Mrbeast for two more seasons, and the free Fox Streaming out of social media stars like Noah Beck, which features in “Sideline 2: Intercepted”. And of course, YouTube has definitely paraded its greatest creators, including Mr. Mrbeast and the host of “Hot Ones” Sean Evans, at Brandcast, his point of view on the initial presentation.

Some media giants inherited as Disney went in the other direction by exciting their presentations with famous franchises and Hollywood celebrities. Disney wanted you to know that he had more than 100 talents at hand. The mouse house seemed to say, hey, we have Hollywood quality entertainment – and the stars that most advertising managers have heard.

3. Upfronts are no longer only on television

Upfront was previously aimed at your fall television program, but this week has shown how media companies are trying to sell everything they have.

Everyone was promoting films in addition to programs, for advertisers who like to be part of major marketing partnerships. Amazon trotted the Kelce brothers from his arm of Podcast Wondery and Lizzo and DJ Steve Aoki to promote his Twitch streamer. Whole Foods appeared on the screen at some point.

“Now, let’s present everything we have. This is:” Here is what we have, choose what makes your client “,” said Alicia Weaver-Mckinney, vice-president of media activation at advertising agency media, said the large proposed menu.

4. Sports are the new Savior

Almost all the presentations were loaded at the front with live sports while media companies were based on the programming of their arsenal, which is most precious for advertisers while they were looking for agreements on a fragile advertising market.

“If you heard something other than sport, it was number two, three, four on the list,” said Michael Kassan, longtime advertising advisor.

Nbcu boasted that Peacock had more sport than any other streamer, and Jimmy Fallon did not miss a beat, “is” it’s great to be at the NBA from the start. “

NBA-Sans WBD was forced to talk about its NHL tennis, NHL and female sports.

Some buyers have wondered in private how much media companies are sustainable for sport, however, given the overabundance of the sports inventory and the hesitation caused by economic uncertainty.

5. Big Tech tries to change the language of television

In recent years, technological companies have collapsed from the week Upfronts, Netflix and Amazon organizing their second events in person this year.

Now they want to change the way we speak and enhance the “television”.

The Netflix content manager, Bela Bajaria, spoke of Slate, not slot machines, to differentiate the banners like Netflix from the old linear television guard, and underlined his major engagement numbers to say that Peak TV was not finished.

Neal Mohan de YouTube highlighted how many people watch podcasts on television, the value of his entertainment model funded by the creator and how he gives creators tools to get their shows by thinking of television viewers.

And Amazon has presented new interactive advertisements, data on the quantity of its viewers on the platform and the possibility of having them buy with a remote control, something that no linear television company can offer. Each Amazon presenter seemed to be required to pronounce the sentence, “the full advertising of the funnel”.