The upcoming IAB NewFronts will serve as more than just a marketplace for content deals, instead offering a window into an industry undergoing profound changes driven by technology and shifting consumer behaviors.
“I’m so excited about this year’s NewFronts because this year is going to be more than a marketplace; it’s going to be a reflection of an industry that is going through massive transformation,” said Cintia Gabilan, SVP, Centers of Excellence & Industry Initiatives, IAB, in an interview with Beet.TV Editorial Director Lisa Granatstein.
Reshaping Boundaries
The traditional lines separating different aspects of the digital media ecosystem are increasingly blurring, creating new opportunities and challenges for all stakeholders.
“The event has evolved a little bit from only before it was only showcasing content, but now the event has evolved to showcasing how the video business is being reinvented,” Gabilan added. “Because of technology, all these boundaries between content commerce, community technology, AI being blurred… the NewFronts will show this intersection of technology and storytelling.”
That evolution has been taking place for two decades. Arguably, the ongoing “artificial intelligence revolution” has upended all parts of the advertising and media space more in the last two years than all the previous years of change combined.
“I am especially excited to see how these companies are infusing creativity in AI, not just to optimize media, which we have a lot of examples already, but I think to create via technology,” she said. “From AI-powered storytelling all the way to shoppable videos or even we’ve been seeing a lot of data infused in digital out-of-home content.”
New Participants
The 2025 NewFronts will feature both new participants and returning elements that proved successful in previous years.
“The IAB NewFronts is no longer just a venture to show up, it’s kind of an event that’s showing what’s next,” Gabilan noted. “We have actually new companies joining NewFronts. LinkedIn is here for the first year. We have the return of [Fox-owned streamer] Tubi.”
The event will also continue its dedicated focus on news content, which was introduced last year.
“Last year, for the first time, we held a spotlight on news, and we are doing that again this year,” she told Granatstein. “It feels especially important as the industry to support journalism, right? And responsible news outlets, especially amid all this ongoing economic uncertainty that we are living through now.”
Digital Video Spending Insights
IAB will highlight some of the findings from its 12th annual Digital Video Ad Spend and Strategy Report during the event, providing critical data for both buyers and sellers navigating the complex media landscape.
“The media landscape is getting more and more complex, but consumer viewing habits are also evolving in a meaningful way,” Gabilan said. “This report is great because it helps both the buyer and the seller figure out how to navigate and succeed in this ever-evolving marketplace.”
The report promises insights across connected TV, online video, and social video, combining spending figures with detailed analysis of consumer behaviors and industry trends.
Buyers’ Dual Pressures
According to Gabilan, media buyers are approaching this year’s NewFronts with a tense mix of optimism about new opportunities and pressure to deliver measurable results amid economic uncertainty.
“Buyers are stepping into this season with kind of a dual mindset that is yet a lot of opportunity, but that is also a lot of pressure,” she observed. “They are navigating this ongoing economic uncertainty, all these rising infrastructure costs… and an increasing complexity to buy across platforms.”
This environment has elevated the importance of flexible buying options and performance-based approaches.
“Buyers will come to the IAB NewFronts with this idea that they need to find flexibility, creativity, outcome-based buying to ensure that every single dollar is working as hard as they can at this moment,” Gabilan said. “Things like programmatic CTV or self-serve ad platforms or even AI-enabled targeting, these are no longer nice to haves. They are kind of expected at this moment.”
Looking Back and Ahead
Reflecting on her first year leading the IAB Media Center, Gabilan highlighted significant accomplishments in positioning the organization to support the industry through rapid technological change.
“One of my proudest achievements is that we’ve hired the VP of AI… and she’s going to lead us through the next phase of AI as it becomes central to everything,” she said. “But I’m also super proud that we’ve integrated the Center of Excellence with our Professional Development and Education Center that have a unified vision.”
This integration supports the IAB’s mission to provide both thought leadership and practical education to help industry professionals navigate the accelerating pace of change.
Future Trends: Convergence and Experimentation
Looking to the future of streaming and digital video, Gabilan anticipates increasing convergence across multiple dimensions of the industry.
“The next few months will be defined by convergence,” she said. Not just platforms, but also formats, data, creative innovation. We are seeing more experimentation, especially with commerce-driven video and the huge impact of the creator economy and creators being the lead in storytelling.”
Other key trends she highlighted include the continuing importance of live content (particularly sports), the rise of interactive and immersive formats, and AI’s transformative impact across the entire value chain.
“Overall, I’m forecasting a year of bold experimentation. I don’t think we have a choice,” Gabilan said. “We will see results coming from experimentation, probably new monetization models, deeper audience engagements, and I hope smarter use of data and AI because we are all pursuing that for sure.”
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