Watch the Digiday Video Upfront Today

The Digiday Video Upfront event is being held today in New York City. The event includes discussion on whether online video will ever garner a big chunk of TV budgets; the future of the pre-roll; and whether branded content works. Speakers include media expert Jack Myers, Buzzfeed president Jon Steinberg and Deep Focus CEO Ian Schafer. Digiday will livestream the event from our homepage beginning at 10:30 a.m. EST. The full agenda is listed below.

10:30 a.m.: Digiday Dialog with Mevio
Moderator: Brian Morrissey, editor-in-chief, Digiday
Speaker: Ron Bloom, CEO, Mevio

10:50 a.m.: TV Everywhere: Myths and Realities
With the second and third screens now just as ubiquitous as the first, consumers can watch video just about anywhere. The question is whether they are doing so. Hear from those in the trenches of the industry about taking advantage of these opportunities.
Moderator: Jack Marshall, mobile editor, Digiday
Speakers:
Heidi Browning, svp strategic solutions, Pandora
Alexis Josephs, vp sales strategy & global partnerships, Vevo
Matt Kaplan, chief revenue officer, My Damn Channel

11:30 a.m.: The Case Against Online Video
Despite the increasing popularity of online video, traditional TV buyers remain wary of investing in it. Is it only a matter of time before online video starts to crack TV budgets, or is this a pipe dream?
Moderator: Brian Morrissey, editor-in-chief, Digiday
Speaker:
Pravin Chandiramani, vp business development, Simulmedia
Melinda McLaughlin, chief marketing officer, Tremor Video

Noon: State of the Industry with Adap.TV
Speaker: Toby Gabriner, president, Adap.TV

1:00 p.m.: Winning the Work: The Art of the Video Pitch
Join us for this action-packed session that combines a close look at the art of the pitch in video development and production work with pitch-room theatrics and judging by a panel of industry peers. Two local video production companies will be invited to pitch their concepts and project plans for a hypothetical assignment. The jury will be seated with a brand, an agency and a creative studio executive. The winning production shop will have the opportunity to have select work featured in Digiday in the weeks following the event — as well as a couple of other surprise rewards, courtesy of the Producers Guild of America, our co-sponsor for this session. Check back for details and the cast of pitching companies and judges.
Moderator: Kendall Allen, vice chair, Producers Guild of America, New Media Executive Council-East
Judges:
George Faulkner, program manager-social brand engagement, IBM
Jason Jercinovic, president, Euro RSCG
Felicia Wong, director of interactive television, Showtime Networks
Pitches:
Don Faller, producer, Doublewide Media
Kevin Berrey, executive producer, Screaming Panda

2:00 p.m.: Budget Wars: Where’s the Money?
Web video is growing fast, with over 70 percent of the U.S. Web audience watching. With that, ad spending has increased and 57 percent of respondents to a recent Digiday/Vizu survey said they would increase their online video spending. But is the money coming from display or TV? Find out what must change for ad spending on Web video to really grow.
Moderator: Giselle Abramovich-Tsilrulnick, senior editor-brands, Digiday
Speakers:
Tom Dempsey, director of digital investment, GroupM
Jack Myers, chairman, Media Advisory Group
Mary Shirley, vp digital media activation, Horizon Media

2:30 p.m.: Digiday Dialog with SpotXchange
Moderator: Jack Marshall, mobile editor, Digiday
Speaker: Erik Swain, vp operations, SpotXchange

2:50 p.m. The Web Video Star
Web video is no longer a backwater for one-hit wonders and dogs on skateboards. Not only has it created new stars, but it has also drawn traditional celebrities into its realm. Will today’s consumer know the difference — and does it matter when it comes to monetization?
Moderator: Paul Kontonis, vp, group director brand content U.S., The Third Act at Digitas
Speakers:
Kathryn Friedrich, head of video strategy, Americas, YouTube
Ran Harnevo, svp AOL video, AOL
Ryan Vance, head of programming and production, Revision3

3:30 p.m.: The Future of the Pre-Roll
Many predicted the death of the pre-roll, but it has shown itself a resilient format, accepted by consumers and advertisers alike. There are new moves to modernize pre-rolls, in the form of skippable ads, consumer choice and other methods. Is the pre-roll changing, or will it remain pretty much the same?
Moderator: Josh Sternberg, publishing editor, Digiday
Speakers:
Brandon Berger, chief digital officer, Ogilvy
Beth Doyle, innovations director, Vivaki
Ian Schafer, CEO, Deep Focus

4:00 p.m.: Pitch-a-Kucha Presentations
Speakers:
TJ Sullivan, svp sales, AdoTube
Mukund Ramachandran, gm of brand, DataXu
Paul Bremer, chief revenue officer, Rhythm
Tal Chalozin, CTO & co-founder, Innovid

4:20 p.m.: Branded Content: Does it Work?
Branded content has proven to be an effective form of advertising in traditional mediums, but how effective is it when it comes to online video — and what is the best approach? Hear from a brand that has gotten it right.
Moderator: Giselle Abramovich-Tsirulnik, senior editor-brands, Digiday
Speakers:
Stephanie Sarofian, svp, managing director, The Third Act
Matt Stein, vp promotions and creative services, BBC America
Jon Steinberg, president, Buzzfeed

4:50 p.m.: Digiday Dialog with Taboola
Moderator: Brian Morrissey, editor-in-chief, Digiday
Speaker: Adam Singolda, founder and chairman, Taboola

https://digiday.com/?p=10862

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