This Upfront season, advertisers aren’t just asking where audiences are — they’re asking whether their investments are actually working. Alison Levin, President of Advertising & Partnerships at NBCUniversal, makes the case that the answer lies in live events, iconic franchises, and the technology to tie it all to real business outcomes.
What do you think is the most significant trend this Upfront season? Alison levin
In today’s media landscape, marketers need partners who can deliver both broad reach and deep engagement, making scale more critical than ever.
That’s what sets NBCUniversal apart – bringing together the industry’s most powerful live events, iconic franchises, and premium storytelling across every platform. These are the moments audiences don’t just watch – they anticipate, experience, talk about and build communities around.
And because our ecosystem delivers ad-supported scale, brands can uniquely connect with consumers – wherever they are – at every stage of the funnel, from awareness and consideration to inspired action. Premium video continues to be one of the most effective growth drivers in marketing, and advertisers need to prioritize partners who can deliver both cultural impact and measurable outcomes.
How have your Upfront priorities shifted compared to last year? As always, our focus is on helping clients take full advantage of our extraordinary runway of opportunity to build meaningful, lasting connections with our audiences. Our company is entering yet another exciting period in our history with NBC’s 100th milestone anniversary, the return of the FIFA World Cup™ in Spanish language on Telemundo, and the road to the LA28 Games, alongside the everyday power of our entertainment, news, sports, and unscripted franchises like Bravo.
Our incredible content is the foundation, amplified by the full NBCUniversal engine – our scale, technology, and data capabilities – working together to drive meaningful business growth. With strategic tech investments and innovations, we’re making it easier than ever for brands to plan smarter, activate seamlessly across platforms, and measure outcomes with greater precision.
What will define a “successful” Upfront season in 2026?
Success for us is defined by the impact we create for our partners and that means helping brands do more than simply secure inventory. It means building smarter, deeper partnerships that connect them to the audiences, communities, and cultural moments that matter most.
A big part of that is now having the tools to prove what has been long known – premium content is performant. Today we are in a place that allows us to give premium video the credit it deserves and demonstrate that brand building and performance aren’t separate strategies, they’re deeply interconnected.
When brands can clearly see the results of their investment and become part of these culturally resonant moments, that’s a successful Upfront.
