Digital Full Episodes A Draw in Upfront, NBCU's Naylor Says

The biggest draw in digital video during the upfronts was for content in full-episode players, says Peter Naylor, EVP Digital Media Sales at NBC Universal during an interview with Ashley J Swartz, CEO and Co-founder of Furious Minds for Beet.TV. "We didn't do a lot of short form because I don't think there is a perceived perception of scarcity with short form," he explains. "The upfront is all about scarcity, so you make your bet now for a favorable position and long form has that scarcity that short form doesn't have."

However, digital isn't an add-on to upfront buys, he explains. Media companies need to think about where their businesses will be in ten years, so it's not wise to give digital inventory away. "We are careful not to make digital a favor or throw-in...because we have to live with these terms and conditions for a long time."

For more insight on NBCU's portfolio, demo guarantees and targeting, check out this video interview.

Naylor was a panelist at the Beet.TV Video Ad Effectiveness summit presented by Nielsen.