NBCUniversal plans to hold its upfront presentation for advertisers and media buyers at its traditional location–Radio City Music Hall–on Monday, May 16.
During the past two years, the upfront has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, both in terms of substituting virtual presentations for in-person events and in changing the dynamics of how and when TV advertising is bought and sold.
In laying out its upfront plans, NBU said it will again hold what it calls a developers conference, focusing on technology and data capabilities. This year’s event One22, will be held March 22.
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NBCU will have content and community previews the week of April 11, giving buyers and ad buyers insight into the company’s content development and creative strategies.
NBCU will also participate in the Newfronts on May 2, focusing on Peacock and other digital media options.
In addition to the NBCU presentation on the Morning of May 16, NBCU’s Telemundo unit will have an event that evening at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York.
“Every day, our goal is to make it easier for you to activate across NBCUniversal’s One Platform – and use our trusted content and legacy-busting capabilities to achieve your business goals,” Linda Yaccarino, chairman of global advertising sales and partnerships at NBCU, a division of Comcast, said in a letter to advertisers on Tuesday.
“All this is meant to give you more opportunities to connect with audiences, and the freedom to fully optimize your business on every screen. In other words, no matter the stage or event, and all year long, you and your business are at the center of everything we do,” she said.
Last week, Fox said it was reimagining its upfront presentation plans. Fox will also hold an event on May 16 but instead of holding it in a theater, it will be at the Skylight on Vesey in New York, a venue recently used for a Van Gogh exhibition. Fox also plans to have a “Content Drives Commerce Brand Partnership Summit on March 23 and will present at the NewFronts, with its Tubi streaming service front and center.
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. ■
