
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 ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
25/06/2026
alt= data-nectar-img-srcset=https://www.antonbauer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/0...
25/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/06/2026
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna was a significant success for the Austrian public broadcaster ORF. In Austria, more than 1.5 million viewers tuned in...
25/06/2026
Wisycom has further strengthened its ecosystem of professional wireless solutions with the MPR60 Wideband IEM/IFB Receiver with expanded multichannel IFB mode, ...
25/06/2026
Ease Live, the interactivity expert, today announced that its graphics overlay platform is powering a new interactive experience on Rally.TV, the official video...
25/06/2026
VFX History: the origin of After Effects
Graham Quince June 25, 2026
0 Comments
Before it was Adobe, it was CoSA. This is the VFX history of Adobe Aft...
25/06/2026
Creative Remote, the provider of remote and hybrid offline editing infrastructure, today announced the opening of 41, its new offline edit facility located at 4...
25/06/2026
Rise, the award-winning advocacy group for gender diversity in the broadcast and media technology sector, is pleased to announce the global mentoring cohort for...
25/06/2026
Emergent, a pioneer in browser-based, AI-enhanced content production environments, today announced a strategic partnership with ROCKET, a premier media-centric ...
25/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/06/2026
Summer savings are heating up. From the Steam Summer Sale to GeForce NOW membership discounts, this week's GFN Thursday delivers double the deals and more w...
25/06/2026
Launching today (Thursday 25 June), new RT podcast Ramble with Joe McGucken is a series of curiosity-driven conversations where actor, writer and comedian Joe ...
25/06/2026
Immune molecule may drive excessive drinking in alcohol use disorder Scripps Research scientists showed that blocking an immune molecule tied to inflammation r...
24/06/2026
Plus: VoiceAssist Basic now available to UA LUNA users
NoiseWorks Audio have just released an update that adds a new Mouth De-Click module to the Advanced t...
24/06/2026
New heavy-duty mic stand joins range
The latest arrival to Gator's Frameworks family introduces a new heavy-duty boom stand that's been designed for...
24/06/2026
Latest major plug-in update goes live
Waves have just announced that the latest major update for their hugely popular plug-in range is now officially availa...
24/06/2026
When assessing cellular coverage, many people look at the signal bars displayed on a smartphone, router or modem. More bars are often assumed to mean better per...
24/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz THORIS sets new standard for counter UAS defense At Eurosatory 2026, Rohde & Schwarz is unveiling THORIS, a German engineered, sovereign count...
24/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz expands voice communications modernization program for Egyptian ...
24/06/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
24/06/2026
Streaming sets record high of 46.6% of ad supported TV viewing, driven by Super Bowl and Winter Olympics; overall share of ad supported TV remains steady
NEW Y...
24/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/06/2026
RE:Vision Effects Announces Twixtor Standalone v 8.1 and a Sale!
Brie Clayton June 24, 2026
0 Comments
Twixtor v8.1 Standalone adds support for variab...
24/06/2026
Dreamtek Uses Full Blackmagic Workflow for Vercel Next JS Event
Brie Clayton June 24, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic cameras, switchers, routers, recorder...
24/06/2026
Chyron LIVE Unveils New Features: Haivision StreamHub Integration, SCTE-35 Ad In...
24/06/2026
Mapping an Education How composer Chloe Clarke Smith navigated her Boston Conservatory experience and brought new meaning to her work
June 24, 2026
By
Sara...
24/06/2026
The Next Act Dean Krisha Marcano's vision for a connected Theater Division, and the fund making it possible
June 24, 2026
Photo by Eric Antoniou
The Or...
24/06/2026
Announcing STAGES Magazine 2026 Marking a decade since Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music joined forces, this issue spotlights some of the groun...
24/06/2026
In Brazil's TV 3.0 Trials, Appear's X5 is transporting live signals from Bras lia to S o Paulo over the public internet using secure, reliable next-gene...
24/06/2026
Melbourne, Australia - 24 June 2026: Mediaproxy, the global standard for software-based IP compliance monitoring and multiviewing solutions, has named Heartland...
24/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/06/2026
First Rush Brings SDI Multicam ProRes Recording to Apple Silicon Macs
Brie Clayton June 23, 2026
0 Comments
First Rush is a native macOS application d...
24/06/2026
Vertical Drama Beneath Crimson Sails Created with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton June 23, 2026
0 Comments
Thunder Child Productions relies on cameras&...
24/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Adds MSI PRO MAX Displays to Pantone Validated Program for Proven...
24/06/2026
24th June 2026, London: Dara Briain will host brand new comedy entertainment series Dara's Dull Appreciation Society (4x40') celebrating members of th...
24/06/2026
Wednesday 24 June 2026
Sky reveals wild new trailer and images for Shaun the Sh...
24/06/2026
Why Dynamic Media Facilities Matter In this series, we explore the technologies, architectures and operational realities shaping modern media operations. Along ...
24/06/2026
Comscore Announces Partnership with Amazon DSP to Expand Content Addressability ...
24/06/2026
From Cork to Limerick to Earagail:
RT is supporting 21 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this July
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to spotlight...
23/06/2026
When we began planning our transition from an SDI-based infrastructure to a new ...