Key Takeaways from the 2025 TV Upfront and IAB NewFront Presentations

The 2025 TV Upfronts and IAB NewFronts spotlighted a media landscape that’s increasingly unified, AI-powered, and performance-driven. From the rise of immersive ad experiences to sports as a cultural anchor, this year’s presentations reinforced the need for a Total Video strategy that blends premium content, smart tech, and platform flexibility.

UPFRONTS

Live Sports Still Rule
– Sports remain the most valuable real estate in media. With NBCU controlling 40% of major 2026 events and Amazon expanding its sports portfolio, platforms are using live games not just for reach but to test interactive formats and gamified ad features like Peacock’s “Courtside Live.”

Premium Content Redefined
– “Premium” now includes more than just scripted series. Cultural tentpoles, creator-led content, and shoppable formats are increasingly positioned as immersive brand environments, especially at platforms like Paramount and YouTube.

AI and First-Party Data Drive Precision
– AI-powered targeting and measurement tools were a common thread across presenters. Disney unveiled Select AI Engine and Magic Words, Netflix rolled out clean-room tech and shoppable mid-rolls, and Fox debuted an AI-driven planning stack for smarter media activation.

Streaming Strength and Scale
– Streaming isn’t a side act—it’s center stage. Fox is launching Fox One, Disney is debuting a new ESPN DTC app, and Max is going back to its HBO roots to reassert its quality-first positioning. Across the board, flexibility and advanced measurement are helping advertisers better evaluate cross-platform buys.

Shoppable and Contextual Ads
– Amazon’s Prime Video continues to blur the line between entertainment and commerce, letting viewers shop in real time with dynamic pricing, reviews, and inventory pulled directly from its retail engine. Netflix and others are not far behind.

NEWFRONTS

AI-Powered Personalization Gains Speed
– From Google to LG, nearly every platform focused on how AI is enabling more relevant creative, smarter audience segmentation, and real-time optimization. Over half of media agencies now use AI for audience insights, with predictive bidding on the rise.

Shoppable CTV Experiences Take Off
– Interactive ad formats—from QR codes to pause ads—are driving commerce within content. Nearly 40% of buyers plan to increase their investment in shoppable formats this year, with Gen Z leading adoption on platforms like Tubi and YouTube.

Live Moments Anchor Brand Strategy
– Shared cultural events and live sports continue to be powerful brand amplifiers. From NFL games on YouTube to Latin music festivals on TelevisaUnivision, live content is fueling both reach and relevance across screens.

Retail Media Meets Premium Video
– The line between retail media and video continues to blur. Platforms like Amazon, Vizio, and Samsung are building new, frictionless paths to purchase—embedding shopping directly into CTV environments where consumers are already engaged.

Cross-Platform Is the New Normal
– Presenters pushed for a unified approach to video, emphasizing the additive power of linear and digital. Rather than choosing one over the other, the most effective campaigns are fluid, measurable, and optimized across the full video ecosystem.

THE BOTTOM LINE

2025 is ushering in a smarter, more connected media era—where the best campaigns tap into premium content, AI-enhanced precision, live events, and seamless commerce. As the definitions of TV, streaming, and shopping converge, one thing is clear: marketers need a Total Video strategy that can do it all.

Need help navigating these changes and planning a cross-platform campaign that performs? The LWD team is here to help. Fill out the form below to learn how our media planning and buying capabilities can unlock your brand’s full video potential!