By Katrina Stroh, VP
Every spring, the biggest players in media and entertainment come together for the annual Upfront and NewFront presentations, unveiling new content slates and advertising opportunities to marketers. While flashy trailers and celebrity cameos may seem geared towards larger advertisers with multimillion-dollar budgets, small and mid-sized brands have just as much to gain by paying attention.
This year’s presentations spotlighted several trends that are especially relevant for regional advertisers—offering new ways to stay competitive, connect with evolving consumer behaviors, and make smart, efficient use of media budgets.
Streaming Is No Longer an Add-On
In today’s media landscape, streaming isn’t just supplemental to traditional TV—it’s the main event for many viewers. For regional advertisers, this is great news. Platforms like Hulu, YouTube, Tubi, and Roku offer localized, targeted ad placements, allowing brands to reach audiences in specific ZIP codes, cities, or DMAs.
And the cost? More accessible than ever. Many platforms offer self-serve tools, lower spend minimums, and even performance-based buying models. This means smaller budgets can still achieve precise, impactful reach—especially when tied to local promotions, events, or store openings.
Connected TV (CTV): Big Impact, Scaled Smartly
CTV continues to surge, and it’s evolving far beyond brand awareness. The latest capabilities include interactive formats, shoppable ads, and QR code integration—even for locally targeted campaigns.
What’s most exciting for smaller businesses is the shift toward performance-based CTV:
- Trackable conversions tied to website visits or foot traffic
- Attribution tools that show which creatives or regions performed best
- Flexible buying models (e.g., CPM, cost-per-completed-view, or programmatic guaranteed)
CTV no longer requires big national buys. With thoughtful creative and targeting, regional advertisers can show up right alongside the big players—just in the markets that matter most to them.
AI’s Expanding Role in Advertising
AI was a headline topic across presentations, and it’s increasingly embedded in every stage of the ad lifecycle:
- Audience insights using predictive models
- Creative optimization based on real-time performance
- Conversational AI and chatbots to enhance customer engagement
For smaller brands, AI means doing more with less, with accessibility to use the same intelligence as enterprise advertisers—whether testing creative or understanding which customers are likely to convert.
Sports Streaming: A Growing Gateway for Local Brands
Live sports were front and center this year—from the NFL’s debut on Netflix to expanded coverage across Peacock, Paramount+, and Prime Video. But it’s not just a national advertiser playground anymore.
As more sports content shifts to streaming, inventory is being unbundled and localized. This creates new openings for smaller brands to:
- Sponsor pre-game shows or halftime content
- Run local ads during regional college or high school sports streams
- Use geo-fencing to target fans by team or location
For example, a local pizza shop can now serve ads during a college football game streamed on ESPN+, or a regional car dealer can appear in Roku’s local live sports zones.
As the media landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: innovation isn’t reserved for national brands with massive budgets. From localized streaming buys to AI-powered insights and targeted CTV strategies, smaller and regional businesses now have unprecedented access to tools that deliver smarter, more connected campaigns. The opportunity is here—now’s the time to lean in, test boldly, and meet today’s consumer where they are.
