Netflix at the Upfronts

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/netflix-tv-upfront-advertising-1235488128/

Netflix replacing Paramount at this year’s Upfronts is cementing a paradigm shift in advertising.  Upfront Week has historically been grounded in the traditional linear television ad space.  The New Fronts emerged as a companion to Upfront Week, but for digital advertising platforms.  However, Disney started to blur the lines between linear and digital last year when they removed Hulu from the New Fronts and instead did a company presentation across all platforms.  (https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/disney-pulls-hulu-from-newfronts-plans-company-wide-advertiser-showcase-1234904956/).

It is interesting that Paramount decided to vacate their Upfront Week presentation entirely, thereby leaving an opening for Netflix.  Paramount has a strong portfolio of linear platforms (and television’s current number 1 rated series Yellowstone), as well as their own digital platform in Paramount+ so one would certainly expect to see them at the Upfronts.    

Lines between linear and digital advertising continue to blur and it will be interesting to see the evolution of both Upfronts and New Fronts.  Some thoughts on trends to keep track of include:

1)      Will traditional media companies like Paramount stay away from Upfronts moving forward, or will they return?  These are expensive events to run and Paramount’s exit this year could be tied to the economic downturn

2)      Long term will there be “Upfronts” and “New Fronts” or eventually do these two sets of advertiser events merge into one (in the way that Disney has done for their portfolio of linear and digital)