Upfronts & NewFronts: Who Won the Beauty Contest?

My colleagues Ed Martin Stuart Elliott and Simon Applebaum reporting for Planet Ed at MediaVillage assign quotJacksquot and share the industry39s best insights on the comparative value and impact of most of the networks and web properties that are competing for attention Simon points out the inconceivably poor judgment of several digital companies and a handful of networks who limit amp8211 and even exclude amp8211 press from their presentations The Upfront has become more than a closeddoor session with media buyers It39s pop culture Search quotTV Network Upfronts 2015quot there are 38300000 entries Search quotDigital NewFrontsquot there are 235000 results That39s all we really need to know about who won and lost in this year39s UpfrontNewfront seasonWalking into the CBS postpresentation party at Lincoln Center last week I overheard a young woman who was towing young children amp8211 clearly a tourist amp8211 ask a partygoer what the crowd was going to He answered quotIt39s a CBS eventquot quotOhquot she quickly observed quotIt39s their Upfrontquot More than any other moment of the past few months her comment resonated and reinforced that the Upfronts have become the industry39s loudest voice and greatest asset along with the twiceannual Television Critics Association tours replacing the nowirrelevant Fall season launches In that context broadcast and a select group of cable networks dominatedOnly a handful of senior agency and advertiser executives actually attend Upfront presentations They attract primarily junior and midlevel agency buyers and planners plus handfuls of Wall St analysts talent and the press While Newfronts may be wellattended did any of them receive broad general market press coverage and public awareness in the way broadcast and a few cable networks did No Those companies that still believe the only reason they invest in Upfronts is to talk to junior and midlevel agency buyers and planners are totally missing the pointThe Upfronts are not about presenting program schedules They are not about pitching new research and marketing platforms They are not about sharing program clips and introducing talent First and foremost Upfront presentations are the businesstobusiness equivalent of Top Chef the Academy Awards Dancing with the Stars and Survivor They are a beauty contest with the winners determined by which company generates the greatest public awareness and through that reaches all those marketers who own the TV budgets but pay little attention to the nuances of the business amp8211 including the Upfront presentations The Upfronts are about Red Carpets social media fan engagement and press press pressIn that context the Newfronts are simply not ready for primetime No matter how sophisticated the presentations no matter how high quality the content no matter how compelling the messagesamp8230 not one Newfront presentation elevated an online seller to the status of their broadcast network competitors Those networks and digital sellers who limit or exclude press are simply trees that fall in the woods with no one to hear No matter how well attended their presentations no matter how successful they may appear their actual impact on budget allocation is slim 383 million search results vs 235 thousand That39s the best measure to compare the relative value of digital vs TV in this year39s UpfrontNewfront seasonI39m also impressed by the TV networks39 increased emphasis on new research data at this year39s Upfront presentations But as I previously reported the shift of dollars based on this research will primarily be redistributed TV dollars and is unlikely to reverse the growing transfer of budgets from TV to digital video The most influential force driving increased market share for digital is enhanced cost efficiency and client demand rather than any substantive and standardized performancebased data For my preUpfront economic forecast click hereBut the focus on research caught the attention of the press and several Wall St analysts Their coverage may do more to drive corporate value of the major TV parent companies than the incremental ad revenues the research may generate Another reason why avoiding the press and Wall St analysts is inconceivableSo after another Upfront and Newfront presentation season it appears the TV business has held its own and is not yet ready to cede its superiority to digital In fact TV seems to be getting stronger and better even as competition intensifies Unfortunately marketers and their agency buyers still want the shiny new object and there are secular realities that are driving down TV budgets and pricing Even with those headwinds and even with all the consumer movement to digital broadcast and a handful of cable TV networks remain the big guns as negotiations begin

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Upfronts & NewFronts: Who Won the Beauty Contest?

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Jack Myers

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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Jack Myers

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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