Once upon a time linear and digital media lived in separate kingdoms, vying for separate opportunities and budgets. But during this year\u2019s upfronts\u2014which featured both Amazon and Netflix making their first in-person upfront presentations\u2014the gates were thrown wide open to bidders across platforms. <\/p>\n
Whether we\u2019re in an era of never-ending fragmentation or on the verge of a golden age of convergence, this year\u2019s upfront presentations ignored the still foggy measurement picture and instead focused on star power and fan-favorite content\u2014a stark contrast to last year\u2019s events amid the writers strike. <\/p>\n
Here are the top upfront 2024 takeaways from Amp community leaders.<\/p>\n
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Dave Weiss, senior VP of integrated investment at UM Worldwide, had a similar takeaway. <\/p>\n
\u201cDiscussions at the 2024 upfront centered on media partners\u2019 ability to achieve optimization, particularly through ad innovation surrounding relevant content and leveraging first-party data for deeper consumer insights,\u201d he said. He added that media partners encouraged brands to look beyond traditional advertising and forge partnerships with marquee tentpoles and streaming originals that reach consumers across multiple touchpoints.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne trend was clear: Live sports and sports-themed original content continue to fuel steady viewership across the board,\u201d he said. \u201cBrands navigating budget constraints will have some tough decisions to make, given the abundance of choices in this space, to deliver maximum scale to those sports eyeballs across all platforms.\u201d<\/p>\n