For as instrumental as the upfront is to the TV advertising marketplace, it can be somewhat enigmatic. So the upfront refers to the cycle each year when TV networks present their upcoming lineups of shows and advertisers throw their wallets at them? Pretty much yeah, but also no. In this piece, we pose the question: WTF is the TV upfront?

Additional coverage:

• Gaming and esports company Enthusiast Gaming acquired the dormant esports media brand Upcomer, with plans to turn it into a leading esports news publication. But bumps in the road led to mass layoffs that have reshaped the brand. Here’s a look at what happened.
• Not content with competing for major honors in the world of football, English juggernaut club Manchester City wants to do the same in esports.
• Omnicom Media Group created a metric designed to help brands calculate where and when to redirect media spend due to supply chain issues they face — rather than just putting a halt on spend when there’s a supply crunch.

Digiday Media Presents: Commerce Week

Today marks the beginning of Digiday Media Presents: Commerce Week – a series of virtual events, in-person gatherings and special coverage taking place across Digiday, Glossy and Modern Retail. Throughout the week, we’ll keep you up to date on the key takeaways and ways you can join. Here’s some of what’s coming up:

• Digiday’s Commerce for Publishers Forum will bring together leaders from BuzzFeed, Vox Media and Vice virtually to learn how they’re driving revenue from affiliate, brand partnerships and even proprietary merchandise. RSVP for free here.
• Glossy just released their Glossy Annual Report 2022 which examines the state and future of beauty brand distribution and provides brands with the intelligence needed to shape marketing and merchandise planning.
• At today’s Glossy E-Commerce Forum, execs from Ulta Beauty, Intermix, Peace Out Skincare and more will share actionable insights into how they’re winning customers, driving sales and rethinking the “omnichannel” concept.
• Tomorrow: Modern Retail will host an exclusive panel with Neighborhood Goods in New York City to unpack how curation has evolved and the ways brands are trying to stand out. Learn more here.
• At Wednesday’s Modern Retail Omnichannel Forum, we’ll be joined virtually by leaders from Vuori, Touchland and more for insight into how they’re acquiring customers. RSVP for free here.