The NewFronts are now more than just a preview of digital content. They’re a preview of growth opportunities driven by content, marketing and advertising, and more than ever, an urgent desire to directly connect with consumers.
The role of the NewFronts—to serve as a catalyst for marketer’s ad-spend decision making—is evident in the 2019 IAB Video Ad Spend Report. The report shows that almost all (84 percent) of marketers who attended thought the event had a significant influence on their digital marketing investments.
An incredible amount of information was shared this year, with the biggest areas of focus being on brand safety, content creation and technological innovation.
Brand safety is back
This year, the topic of brand safety came back full force and was mentioned at almost every presentation. Overall, we heard that many more publishers now work with first-party data, and that more brands and advertisers work with publishers directly.
Publishers want buyers to know that their inventory and audiences are high quality and well managed. But it’s not just about being brand safe, it’s about knowing how to use their data and technology to connect brands with the right audiences in a brand safe environment.
YouTube spoke about how its team is “laser-focused” on safety and privacy, and about how its new intelligence desk can solve issues early, and its transparency desk can explain how and why videos are removed.
Digitas made trust the theme of its presentation, stressing brand safety through transparency, and observing that, “If consumers can’t trust what they believe to be true, how can they trust what they buy?”
Vice came at safety from a different viewpoint, announcing that the publisher will no longer blacklist the 25 keywords commonly classified as unsafe because it believes that these terms in themselves are a form of bias.
Celebrities, partners and influencers are the new digital stars
Hulu debuted a number of original programs and announced that digital film productions are in the works with Reese Witherspoon, George Clooney and others. Seeing the sheer number of celebrities at this year’s event makes me think that Hollywood is finally being reengineered to satisfy the needs of a nimbler media ecosystem.
Partnerships and influencers were top of mind for presenters of all kinds. For the first time, the Wall Street Journal will partner with Twitter to stream the Tech Live festival. Meredith announced a new partnership with #SeeHer—a movement spearheaded by the ANA that is championing the accurate portrayal of women and girls in the media. Brands in their portfolio will now incorporate #SeeHer content, including an interview series with Katie Couric.
Vudu, a Walmart Company, will debut a dozen original shows this year, and Ellen Digital Network announced new digital partnerships with content creators and influencers like Jay Shetty. Viacom announced six new original series for Comedy Central, and specially curated versions of BET, MTV and Nickelodeon that will be made available for free on Pluto TV.
Hulu CEO Randy Freer summed up the magnetic pull of digital saying, “Streaming is TV, it’s simply better TV.” Anna Wintour appeared onstage during the Condé Nast presentation to give a live demo of Go Ask Anna—her show where strangers ask the Vogue editor-in-chief how she really feels.
AI, voice, technology and food take the lead
Presentations from various media organizations made it clear that the industry sees a massive opportunity in voice, AI and other flashy new technologies.
The BBC introduced a smart text-to-audio feature that allows for easy music listening, and Verizon Media announced that it expanded its DSP audio inventory through an integration with AdsWizz. Verizon Media also revealed plans for its first 5G studio, based in LA.
On top of that, The New York Times discussed its new playlist approach to guide readers through the Sunday magazine, and a system that uses emotional targeting to match consumers to content.
Studio71 presenters talked about a new partnership with Amazon Web Services that will use AI and machine learning to leverage influencer talents, fans and abilities on a campaign-by-campaign objective. And in a similar vein, Roundel (previously Target Media) held a fireside chat about the social implications of AI.
And last but not least, everyone’s favorite topic—food. From cooking to history to culture, food is a big trend for online video, and The New York Times, Meredith and Condé Nast all showcased new shows, concepts and culinary talent.
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Anna Bager is the EVP of industry initiatives at IAB.
