As Commerce Revenue Jumps, Condé Nast Pitches New Shoppable Shows

Condé Nast’s commerce ambitions—hinted at during the media company’s NewFronts pitch last year—are more than just building affiliate content. During this year's presentation, held virtually Tuesday afternoon, the company announced that 75 returning series will go back into production with the addition of 50 new digital video pilots across 17 brand channels. The Advance Publications-owned media company amped up the importance of its live programming around tentpole events like the Oscars, the Met Gala and the Super Bowl and showcased its commerce product, Condé Nast Shoppable. “Live and shoppable is what [buyers] want to talk about,” Pamela Drucker Mann, global chief revenue officer and president of U.S. revenue, told Adweek ahead of its presentation. With ratings around live experiences like the Oscars eroding, it’s clear viewers too want more participatory than a passive live viewing experience. The question is: “Does our buying model match the consumer viewing model?" said Drucker Mann. "There is more content, and people are more engaged, but viewers can be hard to predict. We want to meet them where they are.” Condé has benefited from the same viewership and ad hikes as streamers and digital publishers over the last year. According to Nielsen Media Impact data, the media company has delivered 10.3 million unique incremental individuals who were not reached by cable, up 6% year over year. Time spent on over-the-top and linear channels—the company has dedicated channels for brands including GQ, Wired and Bon Appétit—are up 119% year over year, partly thanks to Condé Nast Entertainment president and former Disney+ executive Agnes Chu who joined last September. Global video revenue is forecast to grow 41% over 2019, the privately-held company said. Commerce revenue has grown 78% year-to-date since March 2020. This contributes to its forecast of 11% digital revenue growth. Building buyable content into shows Condé Nast Shoppable allows viewers to buy products worn by celebrities, models and influencers instantly as they watch. For now, this is available across three series, including Vogue’s 7 Days 7 Looks and Beauty Secrets and GQ’s Grooming Gods. The company's goals are to get viewers to do—or buy—more, make it easier for buyers to transact on this model and generate more revenue per user. This builds off Condé’s NewFronts announcement last year where it first introduced a commerce tool for Grooming Gods, which was more like a tap-to-purchase shoppable ad unit. Having to manage the onslaught of the pandemic meant that the company couldn’t fully flex its commerce capabilities. Still, Grooming Gods has seen some success. Six episodes that have run across Instagram, YouTube and GQ.com have had over 2.4 million views on social media. They've also featured talent like Pharrell Williams, NFL superstar DeAndre Hopkins and actor Rob Lowe. As commerce plays a more significant role in publisher revenue streams and stay-at-home orders have viewers using publishers as storefronts, the value proposition shifts for ad buyers. The flood of content means that buyers, newly flush with budgets, still have to be discerning, and publishers have to be flexible. In terms of programming, the company detailed Vogue’s expansion into wellness through a series with Kendall Jenner and YouTube Health, as well as the growth of GQ Sports and its 2022 off-the-field Super Bowl lineup. The company is also revamping the Vanity Fair video channel and extending into film and TV as well as audio through the launch of Dynasty, a podcast focused on powerful families, starting with the house of Windsor. “Audiences are changing the way they watch, listen and engage with content, and we’re expanding our offerings to meet them everywhere they are," said Chu. "Whether it’s the launch of Vanity Fair’s new podcast Dynasty or our lively new slate of series on AD’s channel, we’re bringing fresh voices, fresh narratives and fresh programming to our multi-platform strategy.” Amazon Focuses on Reinventing Broadcast TV During First-Ever NewFronts

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As Commerce Revenue Jumps, Condé Nast Pitches New Shoppable Shows

75 returning series and 50 new pilots across 17 brands

Lucinda Southern

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