With May fast approaching, some minds in the industry have already turned to the offerings up for grabs at the Upfronts. This year there will be one more face in the crowd- YouTube. Entertainment lawyer Los Aneles at Blake & Wang P.A, Brandon Blake, has all the details.
Broadcast Upfronts
Traditionally, YouTube has held its signature Brandcast ‘upfront’ in NYC. This year, it will hold them on May 17th- but also participate in the classic IAB Newfronts. This will be the first time Brandcast has overlapped with TV’s upfront week, and the first time it’s shared a stage with both Linear TV and streaming giants like Paramount, Disney, and NBCUniversal as a true competitor. The event will go out at 8 pm, with a livestream show for those who can’t attend in person.
‘Traditionally’, in so far as the word can be used, Brandcast was the closing event for the IAB Newfronts, but now YouTube wants to close the gap, emphasizing that, “Today, streaming and TV are one and the same.” YouTube wants to position itself as the way for advertisers to reach wider audiences on the big screen.
50% of Ad-Supported Streaming
It’s not a stretch to make the claim, either. Nielsen Data suggests YouTube provides 50% of the AVOD streaming watch time on connected TVs for adult demographics, nothing to be sneezed at. The IAB NewFronts and the Upfronts- the go-to annual marketplace for TV ad sales and digital video alike, represent some of the most powerful reach for advertisers and agencies to plan for annual marketing strategies. If anyone was to bridge the gap between the digital era and linear TV, YouTube might be the right ones to do so.
It’s already expected that streaming and streamers will take center stage at the event this year alongside more traditional providers. We’ve even seen venues and some jockeying for ‘position’ announced. And now YouTube has joined the fray. Change is coming, indeed. It will be interesting to see what the result is.
