Take your media strategy to the next level at Mediaweek. Cultivate new media partnerships and gain tools to standout across platforms from experts at Youtube, Peloton, LTK and more. View agenda.
How do you combat TV fragmentation? Bringing out Alicia Keys at 10 a.m. might do it.
Throughout upfront week presentations last week, TV publishers pulled out all of the stops, creating experiential events for marketers, including the Netflix Experience and TelevisaUnivision’s Casa Cultura; showcasing top talent at their presentations, with Keys at Amazon’s event and Billie Eilish at YouTube’s; and creating lavish after-parties where stars walked amongst us civilians, including Danny DeVito taking more selfies at Disney’s upfront than Mickey Mouse would at Magic Kingdom.
ADWEEK was on the ground throughout the week, and here are the top moments from the 2024 upfronts.
NBCU comes out ‘Stronger‘ with Kelly Clarkson
NBCUniversal had a Wicked upfront start, rolling out the exclusive Wicked trailer for marketers at Radio City Music Hall in New York days before it went online. However, the best moment of the company’s upfront kickoff came when The Kelly Clarkson Show host, aka Kelly Clarkson herself, wrapped things up with a performance of “Stronger.” As ADWEEKers went through the week, operating on very little sleep and often fueled by jellybeans, Clarkson’s words rang true in our heads: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. If she had sung “Walk Away,” there’s no telling what we would’ve done. Next time, Kelly! — Bill Bradley
Fox’s bunch of Brady moments
Fox ad boss Jeff Collins told ADWEEK, “Sports’ share of overall viewership has increased, so it’s more important than ever before to consumers and, therefore, to advertisers.” Among upfront announcements for Fox-broadcast sporting events, including Super Bowl 59 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Fox introduced its $375 million addition to NFL on Fox: Tom Brady. When asked for his thoughts about Fox opening its season with a matchup featuring the Dallas Cowboys, Brady responded in postseason form: “I know the Cowboys, how important they are to this network. They’ve got great storylines,” Brady said. “Come on, Dak Prescott? Let’s see if he can finally come through.” — Jason Notte
Live from Telemundo’s upfront, it’s Marcello Hernández
Telemundo planned to take its upfront to the “Next Level” in 2024, touting tentpole sports events and scripted content. But it’s also taking things up a notch in terms of its upfront entertainment. In past years, the company showcased big-name musical guests, but for its event from The Shed in New York last week, Telemundo decided to double down with two major talents. First, the company kicked things off with Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernández, who performed a set talking about his upbringing in Miami, as well as the importance of the Hispanic audience. In addition to Hernández, urbano and reggaeton singer Manuel Turizo—a musician who has collaborated with Shakira, Marshmello, Sebastián Yatra, Ozuna and Beéle—served as a musical guest. And, of course, there was a third major talent, which was the nonstop appetizer trays. — Bill Bradley
Amazon’s ‘Blonde’ moment with Reese Witherspoon
Amazon’s first foray into the TV upfront was a splashy, star-studded affair, more in line with traditional network presentations than the tech-focused NewFronts world it came from. Despite trotting out more than one-dozen celebrities from its slate of shows and movies, the 90-minute presentation kept its schedule relatively tight after a late start at Pier 36 in New York. Alicia Keys’ kickoff performance was a highlight, as was the news that Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods is getting a prequel series—announced at the very end of the presentation when Bruiser (Elle’s chihuahua) and a pink-clad Reese Witherspoon returned to the stage. — Kathryn Lundstrom
TelevisaUnivision’s big ‘jefa’ energy
Latin music superstar Shakira surprised attendees at TelevisaUnivision’s upfront, joining Ignacio Meyer, president of Univision Networks Group, onstage as he emphasized the network’s live content offerings across the company’s portfolio spanning news, entertainment and, most important, sports. Shakira announced that her new single, “Puntería,” will be the official song of TelevisaUnivision’s coverage of CONMEBOL Copa America 2024. The upfront also welcomed another Latina powerhouse to the stage, Becky G, who recently hosted and performed at the network’s 2024 Latin American Music Awards. Becky G also gave attendees a live performance later that night. — Luz Corona
Related video
Jimmy Kimmel’s Disney return
The highlight of Disney’s upfront event was definitely the return of Jimmy Kimmel, whose acerbic send-up of the event served as the perfect counterbalance to the otherwise cheery presentation. Kimmel roasted not only Disney itself—mocking Bob Iger and The Golden Bachelorette, among other targets—but the entire premise of upfronts week. He took particular glee in panning Netflix, whose sudden embrace of advertising put the once holier-than-thou streamer in the same position of groveling to advertisers as the other networks. After missing last year for the writers’ strike and performing remotely the year before with Covid, Kimmel’s comeback seemed to symbolize a return to normal, and it proved—importantly—that Disney can take a joke. —Mark Stenberg
WBD gets presidential
While the closing banter between Conan O’Brien and Shaquille O’Neal sent the audience away in high spirits, the most memorable moment of the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront came when CNN CEO Mark Thompson announced on stage that his network had secured the first televised presidential debate of the year. Thompson, with notecards in his hand, told the audience that the confirmations had only come together minutes beforehand, providing a rare bit of unscripted programming. Thompson also managed to turn the news into a perfect sales pitch, telling the crowd, “When people have something important to say, they say it on CNN. You should, too.” — Mark Stenberg
Netflix creates real-life Squid Game
It was not a traditional upfront presentation, but the post-show Netflix Experience felt like a throwback to what the upfronts were and a preview of what they could potentially become. The streamer transformed a wing of New York’s Chelsea Piers into an activation-friendly amusement park celebrating its varied wares, from Bridgerton to the WWE. In previously flush times, cable and broadcast networks similarly went all out for their shows—I still remember seeing full-sized Defiance props all over one Syfy upfront. Nowadays, those stunts are saved for fan events like Comic-Con, and the Netflix Experience was absolutely designed to tickle that inner fan fancy with activations like its real-life Squid Game experience. Instead of participating in the preexisting upfront week going forward, Netflix could launch its own Netflix Week where advertisers and journalists could play a rousing round of Red Light, Green Light in between announcements of ad tiers and series slates. — Ethan Alter
YouTube’s un-Billie-vable event
YouTube is not only coming for the living room, but also targeting the Emmy Awards. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan emphasized that it’s time for creators, who are shaping a new era of entertainment, to win Emmys, at its third upfront this year. The platform showcased a lineup of creators who shared their personal journeys on YouTube and how they built their fan bases. The evening kicked off with a captivating performance by Benson Boone on “Beautiful Things” and concluded with the audience being serenaded by Billie Eilish, who performed “Ocean Eyes” and hit song “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie movie. — Trishla Ostwal