Media buyers who like a little extra time to plan their video budgets may want to circle the calendar early this year. The IAB NewFronts is moving up the schedule, arriving in March with a familiar mix of digital video pitches, shiny technology and enough buzzwords to power a small agency brainstorm.
Craig Coleman, senior vice president of events and programming at IAB, says the earlier timing reflects how the digital video market now operates. Planning no longer happens once a year. It happens constantly.
“NewFronts has moved to an earlier date this year,” Coleman said in an interview ahead of the March 23-26 event.
For buyers and sellers navigating the streaming economy, that shift may feel less like a calendar tweak and more like a reflection of reality.
An earlier start for an always-on marketplace
The IAB’s NewFronts has long served as a kind of digital counterpart to the traditional TV upfronts. Publishers show off their latest video content. Advertisers look for new audiences. Everyone politely pretends they already understand the latest acronym.
This year the earlier schedule reflects how connected TV and digital video buying have become a yea- round exercise.
“As every year, the IAB NewFronts marks the arrival of the always-on future,” Coleman said. “CTV has long been central to video strategy.”
Brands and agencies now expect to plan, adjust and optimize their spending throughout the year. That means they want earlier access to content pipelines, commerce tools and performance technology.
“In conversations with buyers, they really like the idea of greater lead time to inform planning decisions and align video investment with the rapidly evolving marketplace dynamics,” Coleman said.
Translation for media planners. The earlier the preview, the sooner they can begin arguing internally about budget allocations.
AI data and commerce take center stage
As usual, the NewFronts programming lineup will showcase the latest industry innovations. If recent conference agendas are any guide, that means a healthy serving of AI.
“What excites me the most about NewFronts is the breadth of innovation that happens across the full ecosystem,” Coleman said.
Artificial intelligence is expected to be a major theme across content development, ad targeting and campaign optimization.
“You’re gonna see AI drive some of that innovation,” Coleman said. “You’re gonna see lots of new content and you’re also gonna see exciting new data and commerce solutions.”
Of course technology announcements are only part of the story. The advertising ecosystem still has to agree on how to measure success.
“We need better audience data,” Coleman said. “We need more improved transparency and interoperability and stronger alignment on those measurement standards that prove outcomes.”
In other words, the industry would still very much like to know what works.
Clarity confidence and fewer industry headaches
For Coleman, the ultimate goal of the event is not just new announcements or slick video presentations. It is helping the ad ecosystem make sense of a complicated digital video marketplace.
“I want attendees to walk away with some clarity and confidence,” he said.
That clarity should come from understanding how digital video delivers real business results. Confidence should follow once buyers and sellers figure out how to work together in a fast changing environment.
“NewFronts every year is about building alignment throughout the ecosystem,” Coleman said. “Buyers, sellers, platforms and technology partners coming together.”
If that alignment actually happens, Coleman believes the benefits ripple across the entire industry.
“When the industry moves forward together, the marketplace becomes stronger, more transparent and more effective for everyone,” he said.
Media buyers may still leave with a few unanswered questions. But at least this year they will start asking them a few weeks earlier.
You’re watching Beet.TV coverage of the 2026 IAB NewFronts. For more videos from this series, please visit this page.
