From Spots to Signals: How the Upfronts Are Evolving in 2025

If you’ve been in media long enough to remember spots and dots, sponsorship slates, or the early days of digital, you know that Upfronts season is always a little dramatic. But as Viant SVP of Business Development Tom Wolfe recently joked in a LinkedIn post, even amid economic uncertainty, some truths persist: “Bang for the buck” and “Brand power.”

While the formats, platforms, and buzzwords evolve, the stakes haven’t changed: publishers want to secure commitments, and advertisers want premium inventory, performance, and accountability. What has changed is how both sides get there.

The Shift from Spots to Signals

Gone are the days when Upfronts revolved around flashy sizzle reels and big handshake deals over prime-time spots. In 2025, it’s about data, identity, and signals. As Wolfe predicts, CTV publishers will respond to advertiser demands by “announcing transparency via contextual signals… coupled with ‘expanded data’ available only via their tech stacks.”

This shift reflects a broader demand in the industry: buyers want to understand why an impression is valuable. Not just that an ad ran during a major live event, but what kind of audience it reached, what context surrounded it, and how it aligns with their KPIs. That’s not fluff—it’s performance marketing applied to TV.

Programmatic Moves Into Primetime

Wolfe also predicts that major networks will commit at least 50% of live event avails to programmatic. While that might have seemed bold a few years ago, it tracks with what we’re seeing: automated, data-driven media buying is becoming the norm, not the exception.

Programmatic offers the flexibility and precision advertisers need in a fragmented landscape. But it also comes with new demands: buyers want transparency, quality inventory, and the ability to connect directly with publishers to ensure brand safety and performance.

Direct Access: Closer Connections, Better Results

That’s where solutions like Viant’s Direct Access come in. Direct Access empowers advertisers to connect directly with premium CTV publishers, accessing inventory with fewer hops, less opacity, and more confidence.

In a world where “expanded data” and “contextual signals” are currency, Direct Access helps  ensure that buyers know where their ads are running and why. It supports smarter planning and stronger partnerships, aligning with Wolfe’s call for publishers to “creatively engage buyers in the Upfronts to win $$$.”

AI Crashes the Party (But Doesn’t Replace the Planner)

Of course, no 2025 Upfronts conversation is complete without mentioning AI. Wolfe notes, half-jokingly, that “every publisher announces AI tools or capabilities. Which will distinguish themselves?” The answer will depend on how those tools actually help planners and buyers do their jobs better. AI that drives efficiencies in planning, forecasting, and creative optimization? That’s valuable. AI avatars making media pitches? Maybe not so much.

(And yes, this is a sign you should demo ViantAI.)

A New Era of Accountability

The 2025 Upfronts aren’t just about who has the flashiest new shows or biggest stars (though let’s be honest, that still helps). They’re about proving value. Publishers must come to the table with more than inventory—they need to bring transparency, data, and flexibility.

And advertisers? They’ll reward the partners who help them do more with their budgets, reach the right audiences, and deliver measurable results.

As Wolfe hints in his closing line, some predictions will hit and others will miss. But one thing is certain: this year’s Upfronts will be less about old-school media rituals and more about smart, signal-based strategies that move the industry forward.