Beyond the Beltway: Upfronts Week Through the Lens of Agenda Setters

By Vania López Castillo

Each year, top global brands convene for Upfronts week in New York, where major TV networks roll out their new programming and offerings for the next calendar year. In the last 5 years with the emergence of Connected TV, the content has evolved to include a wider breadth of offerings and content. The one thing that hasn’t really changed: Upfronts are focused on consumers.

At BPI, we are experts on reaching Agenda Setters who make and influence policy decisions at the highest levels. We often talk about the publications that reach them within the beltway — placements like daily newsletters and wonky briefings. While those channels certainly have an important role in Agenda Setters’ media diets, they’re not the only things that Agenda Setters consume. At the end of the day, Agenda Setters are also sports fans, reality TV watchers, and parents. But while they do consume content like the NBA Playoffs and the Academy Awards, they do so differently than their gen pop peers.

Based on our understanding of what content Agenda Setters consume, how they consume it, and where those behaviors break from the norm, here are three key trends from Upfronts that will sharpen our ability to reach and persuade this crucial cohort:

Existing IP Remains a Heavyweight

Networks and streaming platforms showcased previews to highly anticipated releases — the Wicked movie and new seasons of popular series such as “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Traitors,” and “White Lotus” — and drummed up excitement for Marvel spin offs and celebrations like the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live. The focus on established content is a strategic decision: existing programs come with a proven audience, providing networks with a reliable segment and higher confidence in audience reach. This means leveraging popular IPs to ensure campaigns target engaged and loyal viewers. Agenda Setters are just as likely to be Marvel fans as the general public and they are 10% more likely to tune into SNL weekly.

Live Moments Still Have Convening Power

Live events, particularly sports, continue to dominate viewer attention. In 2023, 96 of the top 100 broadcasts were sports-related, with football leading the pack. Sports, in particular, offer a unique opportunity to connect with Agenda Setters in a non-political environment, reducing the risks associated with political advertising. What we saw at the Upfronts for sports:

• Olympics: The Olympics are a global event that attracts a diverse and massive audience — to the tune of eight SuperBowls — including influential figures and decision-makers. The Olympics are a chance to reach Agenda Setters, a third of whom are planning to tune into the games. For public affairs clients, aligning their message with the spirit of the Olympics can enhance their reputation and visibility on a global stage. Agenda Setters are 45% more likely to watch the Olympics this summer.
• Women in Sports: Building off an explosive NCAA season, the WNBA has been gaining traction and viewership across a broad audience and in popular culture. Coach Dawn Staley highlighted the significant growth in women’s sports during the Disney Upfronts, and she discussed the especially pronounced increase in viewership during the NCAA Women’s Division, which saw record-breaking engagement. According to Axios’ TN50, women in sports are increasingly becoming influential figures in the Beltway, driving conversations and inspiring policy discussions.
• NFL: The NFL continues to dominate viewership on linear and is 11% more watched with Agenda Setters than with the general public. The league’s vast reach can amplify a public affairs message to a wide range of policymakers, business leaders, and community influencers. Notably, during the Disney Upfronts, ESPN announced that Jason Kelce, the beloved former Philadelphia Eagles center, will join their Monday Night Countdown team. This addition enhances ESPN’s already robust football coverage and offers a valuable opportunity for clients to connect with key audiences through a highly credible and engaging commentator.

Linear is historically the winner of these can’t-miss live moments, but more and more, we’re seeing sports find a home with streaming. This will be the first time that every Olympic sport will be available to stream on Peacock, with NBC boasting an improved experience for streamers as well as selling programmatic impressions, and Netflix will be home to the marquee Christmas Day NFL games.

The Future is Cross-Screen

In the last couple of years, streaming platforms have played a bigger and bigger role at Upfronts, and 2024 was no different; the future isn’t just CTV at the exclusion of linear; it’s cross-screen!

For Agenda Setters, leveraging these cross-screen capabilities is paramount. Agenda Setters are high media consumers and are targeted by every brand, cause, and group under the sun. To achieve a breakthrough means making sure that messages are consistently delivered across traditional TV, streaming services, and digital platforms. This holistic approach maximizes reach and engagement, providing a powerful way to connect with influential audiences in today’s fragmented media landscape. We’ve heard it time and time again: “The demise of TV is upon us,” “Time with CTV to surpass TV,” and so on and so forth. But our findings show that in the narrative of CTV vs TV, TV remains a key element to a strong media mix. The decline in time spent with TV has slowed down, and TV has seen some bright spots recently: the NCAA women’s basketball championship was the most-watched basketball game since 2019 and State of the Union viewership was up 18% from 2023. The CTV vs TV battle is a “yes, and” not an “either/or”.

So yes, the Upfronts are still about consumers, but they’re more relevant than ever for Agenda Setter audiences as media diets expand and time with media stays at all-time highs. The tried and true DC + Agenda Setter playbook isn’t getting thrown out the window, but it needs to be constantly and thoughtfully adjusted to meet audiences where they are and not just where they expect us to show up.