Nielsen unveils planning guide for media buyers and sellers

New Delhi: Nielsen unveiled its 2025 Upfront/NewFront Guide, a vital resource for media buyers and sellers preparing for the upcoming 2025-2026 planning season. 

This guide offers essential cross-media data and audience insights to navigate today’s complex advertising landscape confidently.

As media buyers and sellers plan for the year ahead, understanding trends across media is critical to optimise budgets and make smarter decisions during this year’s Upfront/NewFront negotiations.

Key trends highlighted in the 2025 Upfront/NewFront guide include:

1. Converging TV landscape
The lines between linear and streaming are blurring, with both playing significant roles in audience engagement. 

2. Advanced audience profiles 
Marketers can enhance targeting strategies by leveraging nuanced data that goes beyond traditional demographics. “Behind the data, there are people in front of screens. Advanced Audience data can help you reach these people with the right message,” said Pete Doe, Chief Data and Research Officer at Nielsen. 

3. Navigating advertising complexity 
Understanding digital trends is crucial for making informed decisions in a fragmented media environment. “With rising ad spend and an evolving media landscape, strong competitive intelligence is now essential for staying ahead and making data driven-decisions,” said Akhil Parekh, Chief Solutions Officer for Digital Products at Nielsen.

What this means for media buyers and sellers

The cross-media insights and trends featured in this report are designed to help media buyers and sellers feel confident in the year ahead. With the right comparable metrics, media buyers can collaborate with partners to leverage both linear TV and streaming, while sellers are able to position their offerings uniquely to stand out.