NBCUniversal Showcases Unmatched Scale and Storytelling at 2025 Upfront at Radio City

As the lights dimmed, the curtain raised on a 55-piece symphony orchestra performing a medley of some of the most iconic advertising jingles in history, including State Farm’s “Like A Good Neighbor”, Burger King’s “Have It Your Way”, Folgers Coffee’s “The Best Part of Waking Up”, KitKat’s “Gimme a Break” and many more, closing out with NBC’s iconic three-tone jingle. The piece was followed by a hilarious musical number performed by Ted franchise creator and star Seth McFarlane called, “NBC Has The Shit Your After”, taking playful jabs at other streamers and networks, a great opener to lighten the mood and set the stage for the event.

The Message

Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios Donna Langley took the stage to highlight the company's collaborative approach and IP-first strategy across its entertainment brands and platforms. “At a moment when attention is being pulled in multiple directions, our ability to collaborate across the company and work together towards a common goal is our superpower,” said Langley. “And that starts with our franchise-first strategy, investing in durable stories and brands that inspire fans everywhere in a multitude of ways.”

Langley underscored NBCUniversal’s strength in building eventized programming through what the company refers to as its “symphony” strategy -- coordinated cross-platform rollouts designed to amplify its biggest moments. The addition of NBA games to NBC's programming lineup was another major focus, with Langley calling it “a weekly tentpole that maximizes the impact of the league across all our platforms, and delivers a sizable audience watching in real time for our advertising partners.”

The Numbers

Mark Marshall, Chairman of Global Advertising & Partnerships, made a dramatic entrance to remember. After seeing him appear across iconic NBC sets like The Today Show and Law & Order: SVU, being interrogated by Olivia Benson, he descended onto the Radio City stage via Glinda's giant bubble. Decked out in a sequinned pink blazer he made a dazzling quick-change out of, Marshall took the stage and made a compelling case for NBCUniversal’s premium reach and effectiveness.

“There are three numbers I want you to remember about us this year,” said Marshall. “First, our reach will grow to 286 million people a month. And over 95% of that reach will be with your advertising. And 99% of those ads are seen to completion. Quite simply, there is no other media company that can match those figures.”

Sports and live content remain cornerstones of the company’s strategy, with Marshall touting Peacock’s 7,500 hours of sports content in the next year -- more than AppleTV+, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, and Prime Video combined. “70% of all the programming across NBC is live,” he noted. “And why does live matter to you? Because it delivers 21% more engagement for your brands.”

Chart-topping hitmaker Snoop Dogg closed out the show with a performance featuring multiple hits, including “Gin and Juice” and “Drop It Likes Its Hot”, commanding the Radio City stage all on his own. Snoop will make his return as a judge on The Voice for season 28.

The Highlights

NBA Returns to NBC: Industry legend and one of, if not the, all-time greatest player in NBA history, Michael Jordan shared in a video message his excitement of the return and his own involvement as a Special Contributor. “The Voice of the NBA” Mike Tirico, then followed, sharing new features like ScoreCard, an interactive bingo-like game, as well as interchangeable courtside and celebrity row POVs.

Stars of recently-renewed St. Denis Medical David Alan Grier and Wendi McLendon-Covey, Happy’s Place star Reba McEntire, and Chicago Med’s S. Epatha Merkerson, who has been on the show since its premiere in 2015, boasted impressive viewership numbers across platforms on their respective series.

Saturday Night Live legends Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took the stage to share the series order of each of the upcoming projects. Fey reunites with 30 Rock showrunner Robert Carlock for a mockumentary comedy seriesThe Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins, starring Tracy Morgan as a disgraced NFL legend who hires a young documentarian, played by Daniel Radcliffe in his broadcast series debut, to help restore his good name. Poehler then announced Dig, marking a reunion with Parks & Rec creator Mike Schur, which centers on a group of archaeologists in Greece who uncover a dark secret and are thrust into a global conspiracy. Sounds dark, but it is indeed a comedy!

SNL's Marcello Hernandez and Late Night host Seth Meyers each performed brief stand up sets poking fun at NBC, with grace, of course, and joking on recent pop culture events, a highlight being Meyers' mention of a (fake) Chicago spin-off Chicago: Pope. Hernandez also poked fun at his all too relevant (at least to me) Hispanic upbringing before introducing talent from Telemundo. NBCUniversal has always acknowledged the power and influence of the Hispanic market, one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups with a spending power of over $3.6 trillion, equating it to the fifth-largest economy in the world.

Upcoming Peacock Originals include thrilling drama All Her Fault starring Emmy and Critics' Choice winner Sarah Snook; The Miniature Wife starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew McFayden; horror-comedy series The ‘Burbs starring Keke Palmer; and action-packed The Copenhagen Test with MCU star Simu Liu and modern scream queen Melissa Barrera.

Critics' Choice Award-winning director Jon M. Chu announced a special first look at the highly anticipated follow-up to Universal Pictures’ $750-million hit Wicked, set for a November release, Wicked: For Good, a clever use of one of the second act’s most touching songs. The film’s stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, will also take part in a special concert event to premiere on NBC in November to lead up to the film's release. Chu teased that they will perform songs from the first film, and teased the possibility of a number or two from the sequel, along with appearances and performances from their co-stars and other special guests.

In Closing, Above All Else: Entertain

As the company prepares to mark NBC’s centennial next year, the message was clear: with premium IP, deep consumer insight, unmatched reach, and a commitment to storytelling and innovation, NBCUniversal is positioning itself as the premier partner for advertisers in the modern media landscape.

"Every person you see up here today, every performance, trailer or clip our teams have prepared for you, brings us back to four little words,” Langley said in closing. “The mantra that greets us every day at our headquarters in LA: ‘Above all else, entertain.’”

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