What's So Up Front About the Upfront? - Steve Yanovsky - BBE - MediaBizBloggers

I have been on both sides of the network television Upfront. I spent several years as an Ad Director and VP Marketing at major advertisers, as well as spending several years at a major cable television programmer. The events were always full of anticipation. What new shows were going to be introduced by each network? Which stars would be there? What would the schedule be? Which shows would be opposite each other? What would the food be like?

The networks got to set the pricing where they wanted it, within reason. And, as advertisers that needed to talk to our consumers and prospects, we paid what we had to to get the inventory we wanted, and to guarantee that it didn't disappear before we could get to it. So many advertisers committed almost immediately, in order to secure the highest rated shows and hot new shows.

It's quite a bit different this year. Not only are advertisers questioning the pricing of network television inventory, i.e. should I pay more for fewer and fewer eyeballs, but they are also looking at a broad range of media alternatives. This freeze is unprecedented. Never before has August arrived without the market even beginning. It is a giant chess game and no one has made the first move. The goals remain the same. Advertisers want to speak to their customers and prospects and deliver the most persuasive messages possible.

Testing has shown that video, with its sight, sound and motion, is the most persuasive method of creating awareness, reinforcing messaging, and improving purchase intent. But now, advertisers have additional media choices when it comes to video. Digital video provides thousands of choices…depending on the key demographics for each brand, the content desired, length and type of creative, etc. Thanks to a broad choice of Web sites, viewers can see their favorite shows online, any time they want. Advertisers are smart enough to know that you follow the consumer and where they are spending their time.

The medium continues to grow in acceptance as major agencies continue to include digital media in their plans, recognizing how it extends the reach of their other media choices. More money is being spent on this medium and industry projections have been revised upwards for 2009 and look for even more aggressive growth in 2010.

To wit: recently, Southern Comfort announced that it will put its entire 2009-10 ad budget into digital media. No Upfront, no broadcast TV, no cable, no magazines. This is unprecedented. Why are they doing it?

Partly because their demographic has changed. Southern Comfort is targeting the youngest legal-drinking-age crowd — 21-29 -- and they want to follow that crowd where it grazes. Partly, they do it because they're tired of:

a. Having their ads crowded into a very narrow TV timetable;

b. Competing against other spirit brands in that same timetable for attention/engagement;

c. And finally, they're doing it because $10 million goes a lot farther in digital media than it ever will in broadcast or cable buys these days.

No, you're not going to see any lavish Upfront events for digital media companies in 2009, but advertisers will continue to discover how digital video gets them close to their business goals.

Isn't that what it is really all about?

Steve Yanovsky is VP Marketing of BBE and can be reached at syanovsky@bbe.com

Read all Steve’s MediaBizBlogger commentaries at Steve Yanovsky -BBE - MediaBizBlogger.