THE 2026 UPFRONT GOES TO THE TOILET đ§»
THIS UPFRONT SEASON IS ABOUT THE WHOLE CONSUMER: FROM THE COUCH TO THE PHONE
Happy Monday Peaceniks. Be honest: where are you reading this right now?
TL;DR: Many of us still watch most video on the couch. But 31% of Americans and 41% of Gen Z say the toilet is a âTop 3â place they watch.
And thatâs one reason why the 2026 Upfronts focused on reaching beyond TV, to the WHOLE CONSUMER.
Last week, TVâs biggest players staged their Upfront presentations. It was the culmination of months of presentations, schmooze-fests, parties, and pitches, yet strangely, itâs really only the midpoint of boondoggle season, with Cannes Lions still more than a month away.
Many themes pulsed through Upfront Season, including omnipresent âagentic AIâ talking points, big sporting events, âfull funnel CTV,â and on stage handshakes with everyoneâs DSP arms dealer, Amazon.
I was actually interviewed by DIRECTV, in an SUV, during a ride around Upfront Week, about how The Upfront continues to survive and what all these trends really mean for the ad industry.
However, one theme that stood out most to me, maybe because I predicted it, was the Mobilization and Verticalization of Premium TV as the best way to reach THE WHOLE CONSUMER - from the couch to the doctorâs office, to (yes) the toilet.
HOW AND WHY THE UPFRONT IS GOING TO THE TOILET đ§»:
