NewFronts 2025: Smarter Targeting, Leaner Budgets, Bigger Expectations

If you blinked during IAB NewFronts 2025, you might have missed a buzzword (or five). This annual digital media tradeshow didn’t disappoint, serving up plenty of chatter around AI, performance, and digital video claiming the lion’s share of the U.S. TV/video ad spend in 2025 – all against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and tighter ad budgets.

AI and Programmatic Possibilities Take Center Stage

Beyond the flashy formats, NewFronts 2025 made it clear that the future of streaming will be data-driven and AI-powered. For marketers navigating the shifting sands of programmatic TV, the message was that automation and intelligence are key. Many presenters highlighted addressability and smarter targeting – using AI to optimize ad buys and creative on the fly. In fact, across the industry there’s a pivot toward more performance-driven deals, like shoppable ads and other formats tied to outcomes. Agencies and ad tech firms are teaming up on AI tools to streamline ad production and hyper-personalize campaigns, hoping to squeeze more ROI out of each impression. Top shops are forming alliances with AI startups for better audience targeting and content generation. The vibe: “automated, AI-assisted and happening now” – programmatic TV is indeed growing up fast.

Monetization Amid Economic Jitters

Interestingly, all these innovations come at a time when ad budgets are under immense pressure. Economic uncertainty loomed in the background of NewFronts discussions, putting a premium on solutions that drive real results. Publishers and platforms know they must prove ROI and make every ad dollar count. (One stat making the rounds: demand for premium CTV is still going strong, up by ~8% year-over-year, even though overall budgets are softer.) This is where smarter infrastructure comes in. The consensus is that adaptability is key: those who pivot quickly and leverage data-driven insights will weather the turbulence best.

For CTV/FAST publishers, that means leaning into AI and deep audience intelligence to maximize revenue. ElementalTV recognized this growing need early on and built the 1Audience platform to meet it. By using advanced AI-powered decisioning, 1Audience generates intelligent audience insights that help publishers curate high-value viewer segments and connect them directly with advertisers. In practice, it turns scattered impressions into curated audiences, maximizing inventory value and driving sustainable ad revenue growth. By unlocking these premium audience segments (and the demand that comes with them), publishers can stay resilient even as the market shifts.

Looking Ahead: Tight budgets aren’t going away overnight, so building smart, adaptable ad infrastructure is more important than ever. Whether it’s measurement-friendly interactive ad formats or AI-driven tools that find the right audience at the right time, the winners in streaming will be those investing in tech and data to deliver outcomes with maximum operational efficiency. In an industry facing uncertainty, a little intelligence – and intelligent infrastructure – will certainly go a long way.