NewFronts recap—everything advertisers need to know about TikTok, Snap and Google’s pitches

This week’s NewFronts was a story of ad tech rivalries, social media face-offs, star power, surprises and even some firsts. It was technically Google’s first outing at the IAB-hosted event (Google-owned YouTube has a history at the show but this was the first time Google-proper presented). T-Mobile also hosted its first NewFront. In social media, Snap took aim at TikTok and Meta, continuing its message to advertisers that it’s not like other apps. On Wednesday, Snap presented its NewFront at Cipriani in lower Manhattan, a space that was lit up with an immersive light show to accentuate augmented reality features in the app. “People feel exhausted by social media popularity contests,” said Colleen DeCourcy, Snap’s chief creative officer, talking about the endless drive for likes and validation on other platforms. Snap is competing for marketing dollars while rival TikTok is in a precarious position in the U.S., where it faces a potential ban in the coming year. Short-form video alternatives, from YouTube Shorts to Instagram Reels, are also making plays to usurp TikTok in its time of stress. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Meanwhile, some ad businesses held events not affiliated with the official proceedings. Spotify, for instance, hosted Spotify Sparks, which it dubbed “an alternative to the NewFronts,” on Wednesday. In many ways, NewFronts represented a pivotal moment in online video advertising, lending urgency to the competition. At the start of the week, IAB released its digital video study for the year, showing that connected TV, social and online video combined will take 52% of the U.S. video advertising market, surpassing linear TV. Here is a look at what came out of this year’s advertising show and the trends to watch. Ad tech rivalries Google focused on programmatic advertising at NewFronts, promoting its demand-side platform Display and Video 360. YouTube, meanwhile, will show up this year during the TV upfront week in mid-May. Google looked to encourage advertisers to take all their digital video buying to DV360, which competes with DSPs from The Trade Desk and Amazon. The DSPs can access connected TV inventory on apps such as Paramount, NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery. Kristen O’Hara, Google’s VP, agency, platforms and client solutions, told advertisers to “unify streaming” through DV360. “We’re evolving DV360 to help you maximize your streaming investments and make any marketing or business objective possible,” O’Hara said at Google’s event. Google also touted its ad ID product called PAIR—Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation. Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal and Paramount recently started working with the ID, which is a way to match advertisers in DV360 with viewers on connected TV. Read more about Google’s plans The Trade Desk has an ad ID called Universal ID 2.0, which was developed as a post-cookie alternative for programmatic ad targeting. Meanwhile, more ad tech vendors were at the show this week. Publisher ad platform Teads and programmatic ad platform TripleLift also held events. T-Mobile presented at its first NewFronts to discuss T-Mobile Advertising Solutions, its out-of-home ad network that reaches more than 20,000 screens in its stores nationwide. T-Mobile wants to tap into third-party retailers, too, with the digital out-of-home ads. Snap versus TikTok While Snap did not mention any other social media apps by name, its message was one of opposition. In February, Snap even brought its new “Less social media. More Snapchat” marketing message to the Super Bowl. It carried that theme into its NewFront. Patrick Harris, Snap’s ad sales president of Americas, called out social media for making people feel “less connected.” The idea is that advertisers are fed up with social media feeds and the polarization online, where consumers are “doom scrolling” and watching “people we don’t know, doing things that we’re simply just not interested in.” “I know that’s not a feeling that anyone in this audience wants your brand associated with,” Harris said. Read more about Snap’s marketing approach Snap is going after TikTok and Instagram, which both have public platforms where users compete for attention. Snap has similar vertical video products, but the Snapchat app is more insular. It is a double-edged sword, though—there are fewer chances to get negative exposure as a brand, but there are also fewer viral moments to propel products and brands. Snap has been on an upward trajectory with its ad platform after setbacks stemming from industry forces, including changes to Apple’s data restrictions that hindered ad-supported apps from conducting marketing functions. After making ad tech upgrades, Snap’s first-quarter revenue was up 21% this year, reaching $1.2 billion. TikTok closed NewFronts on Thursday with an evening event at which it addressed brand safety and measurement. TikTok expanded its Pulse program, launched last year, connecting advertisers to videos from top media partners, such as NBCUniversal, Paramount, Condé Nast, Hearst and NFL. TikTok also has been staunchly opposing the potential ban it faces in the U.S., vowing to fight the order to sell the company. Also read: Unilever shows its TikTok success at app’s NewFront Is AI in the room with us now? As much as generative AI is trending in the tech and media space, so is the seemingly irresistible urge to label every automated ad capability as Gen AI. The same logic that deems ghosts responsible for a home’s creaks and cracks seems to apply to AI’s newfound responsibility for carrying out all duties for audience targeting and data tools. Particularly guilty of this during this year’s NewFronts were the CTV and streaming companies. Multiple media companies credited AI for new tools that automate ad buying and targeting, which aggregate data or serve ads when pre-set conditions are met. Multiple attendees expressed fatigue with the frenzy around the buzzword. FAST for all As consumers increasingly treat subscription fatigue in streaming with free ad-supported TV (FAST) content, CTV companies have flooded their platforms with FAST channels for every desire imaginable. Samsung showed off channels in partnership with sports leagues including the MLB, PGA Tour, Warner Music, Mattel and Hot Wheels. Roku teased new free content starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Josh Peck, John Cena and Ty Burrell. And advertisers previewed slates of new FAST content and channels from Remezcla Media Group, Estrella Media, Revry and LATV. Side dish Spotify’s event outside the regularly scheduled IAB calendar promoted the launch of music videos on the platform. “Spotify is at an inflection point where our content integrates audio and video,” Ann Piper, Spotify’s head of sales, North America, said in the announcement. “We are in this next phase of our platform experience, not only through your mobile phone and desktop, but in the living room through TV screens.” Like Snap, Spotify took aim at traditional social media, suggesting that consumers are more open to brand messages while listening to music rather than scrolling aimlessly in feeds. Spotify’s new out-of-home ad campaign pushes the message “Your ads work harder on Spotify where everyone is feeling it.” Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, Elon Musk’s X held an advertising dinner during NewFronts. X CEO Linda Yaccarino attended the dinner at Hotel Chelsea. The global town square was:fire:at the Hotel Chelsea — a place where “rare individuals” have gathered and shaped generations! Incredible advertisers joined free speech advocates like @C__Herridge and @BrendanCarrFCC, sports innovators @WWE and @thebig3 and champions of women in… pic.twitter.com/mLrdaEbE7q— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) May 1, 2024 Twitter, which used to be a perennial official presenter at NewFronts, is a leaner company since Musk took over in 2022 and renamed it X the following year. Yaccarino is tasked with convincing advertisers that X is suitable for brands after Musk made policies that gave a wide berth to all sorts of speech on the platform. This week, X promoted its continued partnership with mainstream entertainment and sports brands, including NFL and WWE. Surprise, surprise There were some surprises this week, too. Yahoo held a private show at Sony Hall in Times Square where ’90s rocker Beck had an hour-long set. While Yahoo decided not to do a typical NewFronts with panel discussions, it did announce some business news, namely that advertisers will be able to target shoppers in Kroger Precision Marketing’s retail media network. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Binky Griptite (@bgriptite) When it comes to ambiance, Roku was a standout with its venue covered floor to ceiling in flowers. The CTV company announced a new partnership in which it will make some of its measurement data available to advertisers using The Trade Desk’s DSP so they can manage their connected TV ad buys outside of Roku. Read more about Roku’s strategy LGBTQ+ streamer Revry took a theatrical approach to its presentation for the second year. The media company followed last year’s “Wizard of Oz” themed show with “Caba-Revry,” a musical telling of Revry’s stats and capabilities featuring characters Engagement, Impressions and Reach alongside CEO Damian Pelliccione, drag king Murray Hill, vogue performer Dashaun Wesley and “Drag Latina” host Carmen Carrera. Snap’s show had a musical number, too, with a song about how the user base is aging, including the line: “We’re all getting older on Snap.” Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs

NewFronts recap—everything advertisers need to know about TikTok, Snap and Google’s pitches

Featured Stories