Newfronts and Upfronts Have One Thing In Common-Data

Originally published at TDG Research on May 21, 2015

If there was one common theme from this month’s Upfront and Newfront presentations, it is that the other guys have no idea what they’re doing. That was particularly true when it came to advertising, the raison d’etre of both events.
The MCNs and other online video providers who make up the Newfronts kept hammering home how avidly people watch commercials on their sites, given that they can’t fast forward through them or run to the kitchen for a snack. The networks, on the other hand, spent much of the Upfronts talking about fraud and “viewability,” the implication being that people may not like their 4- minute commercial pods, but at least they’re actually seeing them.

What both sides need to realize is that, by focusing on the other’s negatives, they are only hurting themselves. They’d do much better to point out the things they have in common, as those are far more valuable to advertisers.

The value of video advertising, no matter where it runs, is engagement. It’s an immersive way for a brand to get its message across and it works well to establish an image for the brand (pitching a broad idea – e.g., Pepsi means youth, Nike means sports – versus selling a specific product or service.)

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