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NBC Universal is being upfront about its 2023 plans.
Top line
In an end-of-the-year note to employees on Wednesday, Linda Yaccarino, chairman, NBCUniversal, advertising and partnerships, revealed several major 2023 event dates for the company, including announcing NBCU would return to Radio City Music Hall on May 15 for its upfront week presentation.
Between the lines
With the news, NBCU confirms it will remain in the kickoff slot for upfront week and officially gets the upfront announcements rolling.
It’s a relatively early announcement for the company, which had waited until January to reveal its last upfront week appearance. Disney was the first upfront announcer for the 2022 presentations, revealing its event date as early as October 2021.
In addition to announcing upfront week, NBCU confirmed it would be at Newfronts two weeks earlier on May 4. The company will also have its One23 developer conference on Feb. 8.
NBCU had the monumental task of starting the first in-person upfront week presentations since 2019 back in May, ultimately delivering a star-studded spectacle that included performances by Miley Cyrus and Kelly Clarkson, dozens of “Bravolebrities” dancing in honor of BravoCon and countless stars pushing Peacock.
“There is such an overwhelming emotion of excitement, to be the kickoff host of an upfront week that celebrates our industry,” Yaccarino told Adweek. “We take that responsibility of leadership really seriously because our company was built top to bottom for and with advertisers.”
Through all the glitz and glam, the company championed its content, technology and partnerships, putting the focus on its entire portfolio, including two broadcast networks, eight cable brands, local stations in English and Spanish, theme parks, film studios and even Fandango.
NBCU ultimately wrapped its upfront negotiations with more than $7 billion in commitments.
Bottom line
Though it’s clear NBCU is kicking off upfront week, several questions remain about the upcoming advertising showcase.
For instance, will The CW stick with its usual Thursday morning presentation? Nexstar completed its acquisition of a 75% ownership stake in the company in October, leading to new leadership and the exit of several longtime execs, including outgoing CEO Mark Pedowitz and ad sales chief Rob Tuck.
Additionally, many are wondering if Netflix will join the lineup now that its ad-supported tier has launch, with veteran ad sales leaders Jeremi Gorman and Peter Naylor leading the way.
