CNBC: Creator content at upfronts

Creator-led video moved from the side stage to the main sales pitch during this week’s upfront presentations in New York, according to CNBC and the Los Angeles Times. Media companies used the annual events to sell advertisers on live sports, entertainment slates and new ad-buying tools, but creators were a recurring part of the message. CNBC reported on May 16 that YouTube was not alone: Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery also highlighted creator programming in their pitches. The Los Angeles Times said the week’s presentations also stressed automated ad buying, creator ecosystems and the growing importance of ad-supported streaming tiers. ### Why were creators suddenly everywhere at upfront week? CNBC reported on May 16 that creator content was a “highlight” across presentations to advertisers this week, not just at YouTube’s Brandcast. The shift showed up as legacy media groups tried to package creator-led video alongside traditional television inventory and live events. Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery were among the legacy companies that pointed to creator content as part of their offerings, CNBC said. The Los Angeles Times separately described the week as marked by “creator fever,” placing creator ecosystems alongside ad-tech and streaming in its recap of the presentations. ### What numbers explain why advertisers are paying attention? (cnbc.com) The Interactive Advertising Bureau projected U.S. creator ad spending would reach $37 billion in 2025, up 26% year over year, and CNBC reported that figure is expected to rise to $44 billion in 2026. IAB said nearly half of creator ad buyers now treat creators as a “must buy,” underscoring why the category is showing up in upfront pitches that once centered almost entirely on network and cable programming. (cnbc.com) YouTube also brought scale data into the week. CNBC said Nielsen’s February Gauge report showed YouTube at 12.7% of streaming viewership, ahead of Netflix at 8.4%. That audience position gave YouTube a straightforward case to advertisers, but it also gave traditional media companies a benchmark as they tried to argue that creator-led video belongs inside broader cross-platform buys. (iab.com) ### What did the companies actually pitch besides creators? CNBC reported earlier in the week that NBCUniversal, Fox, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube were all using upfront week to pitch programming for the year ahead. Advertising executives told CNBC the main talking points were live sports and events, artificial intelligence in ad buying and audience accountability. (cnbc.com) The Los Angeles Times said high-tech ad buying and ad-supported streaming tiers were central themes across this year’s presentations. That lines up with CNBC’s reporting that media executives were telling advertisers their streaming products can offer better targeting and measurement, especially as buyers ask for flexibility and clearer outcomes. ### Why does creator content fit with ad-supported streaming? (cnbc.com) CNBC said the economics of streaming and the push to reach younger audiences are opening more room for creator-led programming on traditional platforms. The report linked that shift to advertiser demand for ad-supported inventory, which has become more important as companies lean on lower-priced streaming tiers and digital-style targeting. (latimes.com) Brian Albert, managing director of YouTube Solutions, told CNBC that creators are “this generation’s storytellers, tastemakers and stars,” and said advertisers want access to the communities that trust them. That was YouTube’s clearest articulation of the pitch, but the broader week suggested other media companies are trying to translate the same argument into their own sales packages. That last point is an inference based on the overlap between CNBC’s reporting on Fox and Warner Bros. (cnbc.com) Discovery and the Los Angeles Times’ description of creator ecosystems as a recurring theme. ### Which companies and personalities stood out most? YouTube’s Brandcast in New York on May 13 featured Jesse “Jesser” Riedel, Trevor Noah and Alex Cooper, CNBC reported. The event gave advertisers a familiar upfront-style showcase built around internet-native talent rather than only studio franchises or TV stars. Fox President of Advertising Sales Jeff Collins told CNBC earlier in the week that advertiser sentiment remained positive despite broader uncertainty, and Paramount Chief Revenue Officer Jay Askinasi said buyers were focused on media that can prove it works. (cnbc.com) Those comments help explain why creator inventory, streaming tiers and automated buying tools were packaged together in so many presentations. The next test comes in the 2026-27 upfront buying cycle, when advertisers decide how much of their budgets go to YouTube, traditional media groups and ad-supported streaming tiers. Companies named in CNBC’s reporting — including YouTube, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video — will be trying to turn this week’s pitches into commitments over the months ahead. (cnbc.com)