The Upfronts don’t look like they used to, and they definitely don’t act like they used to either. Legacy networks still make noise, but the gravitational pull has shifted. Streaming platforms now anchor much of the attention, with Connected TV (CTV) stealing the spotlight, and measurement complexity keeping everyone on edge. But even as headlines focus on who’s locking in what and where, there’s a deeper story unfolding this year: marketers are seeking flexibility just as much as they’re seeking reach.
That shift is showing up in the numbers. According to eMarketer projections, overall linear TV upfront spending is expected to fall by as much as $2.78 billion, landing between $13.4 billion and $14.8 billion depending on tariff impact. On the CTV side, spending could stay flat at $13 billion under heavy tariffs, or grow to over $14 billion in more favorable conditions. With uncertainty looming, the appetite for adaptability is starting to outweigh the tradition of locking in early.
THE NEW ECONOMICS OF COMMITMENT
The traditional upfront model was built on predictability: brands locked into linear schedules, targeting broad audiences at scale. But that predictability has eroded in the streaming age. Fragmentation, evolving viewer behavior, and economic headwinds have made year-long media investments feel increasingly risky. In 2025, buyers want commitments with optionality.
Shifting dollars from linear to digital is only part of the equation. Today’s smartest marketers are looking for partners who can respond to a rapidly evolving world, whether that means adapting to consumer trends, capturing virality in real time, or navigating shifts in the geo-political landscape.
FROM REACH TO RELEVANCE
Streaming offers the scale of traditional television, but it demands the precision of digital. That shift means brands aren’t just buying impressions anymore, they’re buying attention, outcomes, and accountability.
At LocalFactor, we’ve seen firsthand how smart marketers use this moment to refine how they activate media. Whether it’s CTV, DOOH, or digital audio, buyers are looking for partners who can deliver both national reach and local nuance. That’s where solutions like our Geo-Graph™ audience targeting and Attention+ creative technology come in. Geo-Graph™ identifies high-value audiences based on geographic intelligence, no cookies or legacy IDs required, so brands can launch localized campaigns on a national level with precision. Meanwhile, Attention+ helps amplify existing video creative across high-impact channels like CTV and mobile, extending reach without the need to develop new video assets. The result? Campaigns that are not only more responsive but also built to thrive in today’s fragmented, attention-driven landscape.
UPFRONTS, MEET AGILITY
This year, agility is just as important as premium content. Media buyers want to move fast, adapt to market signals, and optimize toward performance, not promises. Legacy upfront deals aren’t always built for that.
That’s why we’re seeing a rise in alternative approaches like audience-first planning and omnichannel strategies that evolve across the year. It’s no longer about the biggest buy; it’s about the smartest mix.
For example, the LocalFactor Performance Engine is designed to support agile buying, combining audience, inventory, creative, and performance data to drive real-time results.
WHAT MARKETERS SHOULD BE ASKING
As the upfront cycle unfolds, marketers should be thinking less about “locking in impressions” and more about:
- How adaptable is my media if the market shifts?
- How do we ensure we’re reaching all of our audience across channels?
- Can my dollars be leveraged between awareness and performance as our needs evolve?
- Do we have visibility into where attention is actually going?
BUY SMARTER, NOT EARLIER
2025’s media landscape rewards those who can balance long-term vision with real-time agility. And while upfronts are still a useful tool in the media mix, they’re no longer the only show in town.The brands thriving this year will be the ones who rethink not just what they buy, but how they buy it.
And when you’re ready to make those smarter buys, LocalFactor is here to help make every dollar work harder, and every impression matter more
