
In a welcome break from the relentless pitching of the NewFronts, DigitasLBi held its annual NewFronts mini-conference Thursday, bringing together an array of digital media companies and brands to explore the title theme, Fearless.
You can relax and exhale-no one is going to be selling you anything, said Tony Weisman, North America CEO for Digitas. The event didn't lack for news amid the insights, though. Weisman announced two new deals for the agency: an in-residence arrangement with BuzzFeed that will see the two staffs physically commingle, and an exclusive first-look deal for long-form content with Epic Magazine. Cofounders of Epic Joshuah Bearman and Joshua Davis have written pieces for Wired magazine optioned for films (including the Oscar-winning Argo) and with Epic they aim to commission pieces posted on partner site Medium that will be adapted for the screen.
Speakers ranged from TV hosts-cum-digital-creators Meredith Vieira and Aisha Tyler to execs from top digital brands such as LinkedIn, Upworthy, Mashable and Jash. Mixed in were high-level reps of blue-chip advertisers such as Old Navy, CVS and Puma as well as senior Digitas execs.
Before querying CVS exec Helena Foulkes, Vieira touted her Lives channel on YouTube, though the former Today and View host confessed to still being on the online learning curve. People, when I first got on Twitter, thought I was tweeting while drunk because I just kept hitting the button before I'd actually written anything, she said.
Foulkes, president of the CVS pharmacy unit, told Vieira about the process that led to the chain's decision in February to stop selling tobacco products by this fall, a move estimated to cost some $2 billion in near-term revenue. She said the move reflected four business tenets: 1) go big or go home, 2) plan for great, 3) be a marathoner and 4) be purpose-driven. Shares in CVS, she added, have gained about 10% since the announcement.
Tyler, a comedian known for her work on CBS and E!, among others, also writes, directs and appears in online videos. She joined a host of fellow comedians and digital specialists via video from Washington, D.C., where they are gathered for Saturday's White House Correspondents Dinner. The topic of their session was Brand Bravery on Pennsylvania Avenue, with the main focus on viral videos that blended activism with comedy in support of the Affordable Care Act.
I spent a good portion of my youth without coverage, so I thought it was important to show the risk of that, Tyler said of her short piece, Aisha Tyler Doesn't Need It, spoofing those who think they don't need health insurance.
Mike Farah, president of production for Funny or Die and Scott Aukerman, creator of the site's Zach Galifianakis-hosted Between Two Ferns, discussed the evolution of the highly trafficked (and debated) Ferns episode with President Obama. Seeds were planted for the video in the spring of 2013 and the creators took their time as it coalesced. We wanted it to be funny first and have a message second, Farah said. The president is a funny guy. He has great timing.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
01/09/2026
Bridge Technologies will announce at IBC2026 (Booth 1.A71) that its VB440 produc...
01/09/2026
DAZN has announced an agreement to acquire EverPass Media, a commercial sports distribution platform serving bars, restaurants, hotels, and other venues in the ...
01/09/2026
The USTA and Kalshi have announced a multi-year partnership making Kalshi the Official Prediction Market Partner of the US Open, beginning with the 2026 US Open...
01/09/2026
MASV will exhibit at IBC2026 (Booth 5.B40, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14). CTO Majed Alhajry will appear on a panel session, A Tale of Two Feeds: Automation o...
01/09/2026
FingerWorks Telestrators has announced a partnership with Broadcast Rental to ex...
01/09/2026
FOR-A has announced the expansion of viztrick AiDi into two dedicated products: Go Vertical! AiDi and AiDi Sports Hub. Developed by Nippon TV and delivered glob...
01/09/2026
Sony Pictures Television has launched Live TV on PS5, a free ad-supported streaming experience available to PS5 players in the United States. The service is acc...
01/09/2026
Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin has installed a Riedel production infrastructure spanning video, intercom, control, and I/O across the venue, implemented in col...
01/09/2026
Arkona technologies GmbH has announced an OEM partnership with BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH to offer arkona-branded control panels for its SDI-IP routing ...
01/09/2026
Cricket Australia has launched Cricket TV, a direct-to-consumer streaming service built on Eluvio's Content Fabric platform. The service is currently in ear...
01/09/2026
Eluvio has announced it was selected to power Pasifika , a new direct-to-consume...
01/09/2026
Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media workflow platform Streamcake, has appointed Jon Marquard as Director and Chairperson. The appointment marks ...
01/09/2026
Gravity Media has announced a multi-year renewal of its agreement with Stawell Gift Event Management to produce the complete broadcast of the Powercor Stawell G...
01/09/2026
Beam Dynamics will exhibit at IBC2026 for the first time (Stand 14.FT29, Hall 14), introducing License Intelligence, a new module for managing software licenses...
01/09/2026
Interra Systems has announced that ZOO Digital has selected BATON for file-based quality control across its media workflows. ZOO Digital delivers localized ente...
01/09/2026
Bridge Technologies has announced the deployment of its VB330 monitoring probe at Sunrise, supporting the Swiss telecommunications provider's IP-based telev...
01/09/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the continued expansion of its managed coach communications partnership with Scottish Rugby Union, now entering its third se...
01/09/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
01/09/2026
SMPTE today detailed the centerpiece of its IBC2026 program: the SMPTE Roadshow: Future of Media Infrastructure, a full-day workshop on Monday, 14 September, th...
01/09/2026
Inside the Music and Sound of Michael
Sound Particles have announced an upcoming webinar with John Warhurst, the Academy Award- and BAFTA-winning supervisin...
01/09/2026
Piano offers tutorials, lessons & feedback via app
Roland have just launched a new digital piano that integrates with a mobile app in an effort to encourage...
01/09/2026
Update introduces 7.1.4 support via Dante
Trinnov have just announced a software update that will allow Nova units with eight licensed Optimizer channels to...
01/09/2026
SBS secures exclusive rights to FIFA World Cup 2030
1 September, 2026
Media releases
Major sports rights deal ensures all Australians will be able to view...
01/09/2026
SBS announces the launch of outcomes-based measurement across its network
1 September, 2026
Media releases
New offer sees national broadcaster put outcomes...
01/09/2026
Revealed: The Booster Economy' how $140bn+ in everyday inheritances'...
01/09/2026
SBS census explorer to provide new insights into contemporary Australia
1 September, 2026
Media releases
The 2026 Census Explorer will give marketers new i...
01/09/2026
SBS and oOh!media launch exclusive SBS News content partnership across office, a...
01/09/2026
SBS offers marketers greater reach with extension into outdoor, creator economy ...
01/09/2026
SBS and The Guardian join forces to supersize sustainability challenge for 2027
1 September, 2026
Media releases
SBS Media and Guardian Australia have join...
01/09/2026
SBS goes deeper in 2027 with provocative Australian documentaries, star-studded ...
01/09/2026
Amazon MGM Studios have commissioned a new thrilling 6-part drama, Crouch End, b...
01/09/2026
New York August 31, 2026 Nielsen is announcing four new local methodology enhancements that will be activated into Local TV currency data starting today, Au...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Pronology, a developer of cutting-edge broadcast workflow solutions, showcases the newest capabilities for its StreamFile Core platform at the 2026 IBC Show (S...
01/09/2026
PROTON Unveils Next-Generation FLEXY Camera at IBC 2026
Brie Clayton September 1, 2026
0 Comments
10-metre serialised coax unlocks new perspectives an...
01/09/2026
Hulu Drama The Season Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton September 1, 2026
0 Comments
Senior Colorist Mark Kueper of Picture Shop crafts ...
01/09/2026
Pluxbox Launches CoreOC to Transform Mission-Critical Media Operations
Brie Clayton September 1, 2026
0 Comments
A vendor-agnostic operational control l...
01/09/2026
Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media workflow platform Streamcake, today announced the appointment of Jon Marquard as Director and Chairperson. T...
01/09/2026
Actus Digital, a LiveU company, will unveil the next generation of its Actus X platform at IBC2026 on LiveUs Stand 7.C24, demonstrating how broadcasters can sim...
01/09/2026
Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, delivered transformational technology a...
01/09/2026
Quortex, the intelligent video technology company carved out from Synamedia by Lumine Group, today announced that Odisha Television Network (OTV), the leading r...