2025 Upfronts Recap: Nostalgia, New Frontiers, and the Streaming Shakeup Advertisers Can’t Ignore

As the curtains closed on the 2025 Upfronts last week, one thing was crystal clear: streaming is no longer the future of TV—it’s the main event. This year’s presentations served up a mix of big bets, big IPs, and big personalities, all aimed at capturing advertiser dollars in an increasingly fragmented, on-demand world.

For digital advertisers, the Upfronts remain more than just a glitzy week of celebrity cameos and content previews. They’re a strategic window into how major media companies are positioning their platforms, their audiences—and their value. And in 2025, that value is shifting faster than ever.

Let’s unpack the key themes from this year’s Upfronts and what they mean for media buyers navigating the Connected TV (CTV) revolution.

Disney Leads with IP (and the Mannings)

According to Variety, Disney’s Upfront pulled out all the stops: live performances, Marvel and Alien teasers, and the return of Abbott Elementary. But the biggest play might have come from ESPN, with the Manning brothers—Peyton and Eli—front and center to promote their growing role in Monday Night Football’s alternate telecasts.

Disney’s pitch to advertisers was clear: invest in franchises with built-in fanbases and talent with proven pull. And with Hulu fully under the Disney umbrella and integrated into Disney+ bundles, advertisers are getting a more unified streaming buy.

WBD and the Max Rebrand 2.0

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Upfront, per The Hollywood Reporter, was a tone-reset—leaning into HBO’s prestige lineup while emphasizing scale via Max’s blended content slate.

With The Last of Us and House of the Dragon set to return, the company banked on cinematic storytelling and award-season buzz. But WBD also spent time talking data—especially around audience targeting and ad innovation. For DSPs like Viant, this alignment with data-driven strategies shows a continued shift away from one-size-fits-all ad buys toward smarter, measurable solutions.

NBCUniversal Gets Musical (and Multiplatform)

Variety reported that NBCUniversal’s Upfront doubled as a concert, with Snoop Dogg, Seth MacFarlane and a live Wicked number helping set the tone. But behind the glitter was a serious pitch: advertisers can buy across linear, Peacock, and digital in one simplified, scalable package.

That cross-platform story was central to NBCU’s push—and resonates with the idea that advertisers can’t afford to think of CTV in isolation. The most effective campaigns connect with viewers on multiple channels—CTV, digital audio, mobile, DOOH—and measure what matters.

Netflix Finally Feels Like an Ad Platform

Netflix’s third Upfront was lightyears ahead of its 2023 debut. As The Hollywood Reporter outlined, they leaned heavily into the return of Stranger Things and Squid Game, proving that no one does appointment streaming like Netflix.

But the real headline? Netflix touted a global ad-supported user base of over 90 million. That’s not just scale—that’s addressability. For advertisers looking to pair storytelling with targeting, Netflix’s evolving offering signals serious opportunity.

Viant’s take? Streaming inventory is only as valuable as your ability to activate and attribute it. With cookieless measurement and people-based IDs like Viant’s Household ID™ Technology, advertisers can reach and prove impact across even the walled gardens.

Themes Advertisers Should Take Away

1. Streaming First, but Not Streaming Only
Every major network emphasized streaming, but none abandoned linear. The trend? Unified buying across platforms, and an increasing need for flexible programmatic tools that can deliver on both reach and precision.

2. Nostalgia Still Sells
From Alien to Stranger Things to Wicked, legacy IP dominated the Upfront stage. Why? Because these properties deliver guaranteed audience attention—and in a distracted media landscape, that’s gold.

3. Data Is Now the Star of the Show
Every presentation, whether overt or subtle, emphasized targeting, measurement, and audience insights. Advertisers want more than reach—they want results. And in 2025, that means leveraging partners that can tie media exposure to real outcomes.

What’s Next for Advertisers?

With the Upfronts behind us, it’s time for brands to think strategically about activation. Where—and how—will your media dollars drive measurable results?

At Viant, we help advertisers go beyond impressions and toward outcomes. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of CTV, layering in digital audio or DOOH, or trying to tie it all together with household-level identity, we offer the tools—and the transparency—to make it work.

So as you plan your buys post-Upfronts, ask yourself: are you investing in inventory, or investing in impact?