How This Upfront Made History and Set the Stage for the Future

The marketplace has finally converged and permanently shifted We39ve seen universal acceptance of trading principles that were unthinkable just a few short years ago the commitment to meet our consumers where they are across all screens the understanding that we can create scaled and customized solutions globally nationally and locally and the need for context culture and connection at a time when it39s so easy to be pulled apart And across the industry new technologies are being adopted and leveraged like never beforeFor decades the Upfront was your single access point to the most soughtafter premium content The takeaways were timebound A season A schedule A narrow glimpse of consumer behavior But today the Upfront has a broader more meaningful role It39s still your first look at the incredible most powerful content being created but now it39s also paired with insights into the cultural and technological trends shaping our livesRather than sit leaders on opposite sides of the negotiating table the Upfront now allows us to stand sidebyside as we architect a plan for the future Most importantly the Upfront didn39t transform because we decided it would It evolved because everything around it has transformed There was no other choice Consumers have demanded an entirely new reality and the Upfront finally reflects thatOf course we39ve all experienced shifts in our industry before Having had a front row seat to two major media mergers I39ve seen what happens when they failamp8212and when they succeed And we all remember when our industry adopted the portfolio model a few years ago That major operational shift absolutely changed the way the market thought about every media company But it39s nothing compared to the seismic technological and philosophical shift we39ve seen across our industry this yearAnd yet there39s still work to do Up next we need trusted partners who value transparency and are willing to amp up their data strategies and adopt higher standards We need to chisel away at legacy and free ourselves from the limitations of the calendar And we need to demand accountability and measurement independenceBut this year the advertising industry can be proud that we39re moving towards an environment that39s ondemand and easytoaccess where our work together truly reflects the future our consumers have already created With the old report cards thrown away and a new foundation laidwe39ve finally broke through That39s definitely worth acknowledging And it could not come at a better timeTransformation is happening in every corner of the business community From electric cars driving change in the automotive industry to telehealth reshaping the connection between patients and providers to reopening stores and restaurants and movie theatersamp8212in every sector massive shifts are shaping a new future right in front of us How lucky we areamp8212in this media and entertainment industryamp8212to have this new Upfront paradigm and a truly converged marketplace to help support all that transformationEvolution is not dramatic or instant and this moment was a welcome reminder that sometimes a new way forward is better than one shiny new object We don39t always need to be inventors to be innovating In the next year and for years to come we can keep perfecting the parts of the Upfront that still matter and amplify what works for consumers with the newest best technology available to us We can push for a greater more inclusive more representative smarter faster and better future And we can keep transforming our organizations to have quotUpfront conversationsquotamp8212all year roundThat39s the futures business we39re inamp8212and the future we39re building togetherArticle written by Linda Yaccarino Chairman Global Advertising and Partnerships NBCUniversalamp160Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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How This Upfront Made History and Set the Stage for the Future

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