Fox Corp. on Wednesday outlined its plan for events leading up to a reimagined upfront presentation in May.
The upfront — the market where advertisers commit billions of dollars to buy commercials in next season‘s schedule — was disrupted by the pandemic and altered by technology. The networks have been unable to hold in-person events because of COVID-19 and a bigger share of the ad dollars they take in are going towards streaming and data-targeted campaigns.
Fox will hold its upfront on May 16 — the traditional date — but it will be at the Skylight on Vesey In New York, a venue recently used for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. Instead of the Beacon Theater presentations held when in-person events were possible, Fox said the new event will be reimagined to showcase the Fox portfolio across its entertainment, sports, news and streaming platforms.
Also: Fox Wraps Strong Upfront With Ad Dollars Flowing to Tubi
Before that Fox will hold a new event, dubbed the Content Drives Commerce Brand Partnership Summit, which will take place March 23 at the Fox lot in Los Angeles. Fox said the event will showcase the company’s investments in content, data ad tech and next technology.
Fox will also feature its Tubi ad-supported streaming service during the 2022 NewFronts, which are being held the week of May 2.
“Fox will showcase how we continue to challenge the status quo across Measurement, Creativity, and Innovation to drive impact with Partners in 2022,” said Marianne Gambelli, president of advertising sales for Fox. “Our combination of Community, Accessibility, and Creativity, all delivered at massive Scale are what sets Fox apart from our peers. As a 100% ad supported portfolio, staying connected with our valued partners is a huge priority, and we can’t wait to see everyone in person.”
In December, the IAB announced that it plans to hold the 2022 NewFronts in person during the week of May 2. All five days of NewFront presentations will be streamed for remote viewers.
Disney Ad Sales also plans an in-person event this year. Disney said its event won’t be held in a large theater, but that it plans to find a space to create a more interactive experience for advertisers and media buyers. ■
