NBCUniversal’s annual Upfronts content presentation looked more than a little different than whatever the media giant had scripted for itself as recently as last week — and in more ways than one.
As marketers and agency executives arrived at Radio City Music Hall on Monday morning, they had to pass by a long line of picketers from the Writer’s Guild of America who have been on strike since May 2. Once inside and seated, attendees were welcomed by someone other than Linda Yaccarino — who left her role as NBCU’s chair of ad sales and partnerships on Friday to become Twitter’s new CEO.
Yaccarino’s departure, buzzed about incessantly when word leaked out, was irreverently acknowledged in NBCU’s opening act. During an animated ode to advertising, “Ted” — the eponymous bear from the movie and sitcom series starring Seth McFarlane — referenced Twitter’s recent decisions to allow a number of controversial users back on the platform.
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