Buyers and Content Creators Gather to Learn How to Navigate — and Thrive — in a World of Streaming Everything

On May 3-6, 2021, thousands of buyers will tune into the IAB 2021 NewFronts to hear from the biggest content creators and innovative upstarts in media and entertainment including first time presenters A+E Networks, Amazon, Entercom, Estrella Media, Penske Media, and VIZIO. Channel Factory, OpenAP, Oracle Advertising, Spectrum Reach, and TEGNA will also present insights for the first time.

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Consumer behavior has transformed faster than anyone could have predicted before the pandemic. Digital content creators have raced to feed their appetite for binge-worthy, on-demand programming across all video formats. With consumers literally “living the stream“, it makes this year’s IAB NewFronts a must-attend virtual event series. IAB NewFronts brings together thousands of brands, agencies, and media buyers for four insight-packed days of programming from the world’s most influential artists, and cutting-edge immersive video experiences, while kick-starting discussions about issues critical to the future of the media industry.

Directly following the NewFronts, IAB has shifted the Podcast Upfront (typically held in the Fall) to May 11-13 so buyers have a holistic omni-channel experience in time for the planning season.

“We have all witnessed the acceleration that the pandemic has ushered into our worlds. There is no doubt in our mind that streaming will be one of the most potent growth engines for the industry in the coming years,” said David Cohen, CEO, IAB. “This new reality — where streaming is at the center of everything — demands a reset of how video is bought, sold, measured, and optimized. Consumers have already decided the future of media, and it’s streaming.”

“We’re seeing tremendous growth in streaming with multiple platforms, screens, devices, and content providers working to deliver what consumers demand,” said Rob Master, Vice President of Media and Digital Engagement, Unilever North America. “The industry is racing to provide content people care about in a completely flexible viewing experience — while making it easy for brands to buy and measure.”

Presentations, which will be held from 12:00-4:00pm ET each day, include A+E Networks (A&E, The History Channel, Lifetime), Amazon, BBC News, BuzzFeed, Condé Nast, Crackle Plus, Digitas, Ellen Digital, Entercom, Estrella Media, fuboTV, Meredith Corporation, Penske Media, Roku, Samsung Ads, Snap Inc., TikTok, Tubi, Twitter, Verizon Media, Vevo, VICE Media Group, VIZIO, and YouTube. The week of programming will also feature industry insights sessions from Channel Factory, GSTV, OpenAP, Oracle Advertising, Quantcast, Spectrum Reach, TEGNA, and Tremor Video.

To help ensure that the industry is future-ready, IAB is pushing ahead with its cross-industry Tele://Vision campaign, part of the IAB Media Center, aimed at aligning the companies and leaders whose products, services, and relationships define the current video marketplace around a consistent set of principles, standards, practices, products, and technologies. Together as an industry, IAB wants to create a consumer-centric video supply-chain that balances both personalization and privacy. In order to help advertisers understand the true scale and trends of the video marketplace, IAB will release its much anticipated “Digital Video Ad Spend” report at the IAB NewFronts. In addition, IAB is working on a “CTV Creative Best Practices Guide” to make it easier to transact not only on traditional ad experiences, but also on innovative ad experiences such as shoppable video, choice-based ads, etc., and supplementing it with industry training and creative execution. Additionally, the “Audio Everywhere” campaign, also a part of the IAB Media Center, will release the annual “Podcast Ad Revenue” report at the IAB Podcast Upfront.

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