Call it a reimagining of the annual mid-May dog-and-pony open bar parade across Midtown Manhattan called the Upfronts.
Or, you can call it, as NBCUniversal is, “a new annual gathering designed to offer a global view of the insights, stories, entertainment, and technology connecting consumers to businesses.”
However you spin it, “ONE21” is set to combine “the magic of the media and entertainment industry with the strategic insights and solutions of a platform developer conference.”
Through the online global gathering, “ONE21” is poised to unveil insights, partnership opportunities, a “Technology Roadmap,” and “commerce vision” across what is now being called Comcast NBCUniversal Sky.
It’s a global upfront, if you will, as the combined worldwide assets reach 615 million people worldwide, let alone 233 million in the U.S.
Specifically, “ONE21” will spotlight Comcast’s investments in technology, data, commerce and local-to-global capabilities “that make partnership easier and more valuable on NBCUniversal One Platform locally, nationally, and globally.”
The event is scheduled for Monday, March 22.
That date was selected in Q1 “to provide marketers the information they need to build new solutions and make better business decisions,” Comcast says.
Programming and Tune-In details for “ONE21” will be announced at a later date.
“ONE21” will give our partners a full view of the technology that powers their plans, the stories that connect them to consumers, and the commerce tools that drive results,” said Josh Feldman, Chief Marketing Officer for Advertising and Partnerships. “On One Platform, marketers are the developers, partnering with our teams to create amazing experiences for their audiences on every single screen.”
Global Advertising and Partnerships Chairman Linda Yaccarino added, “The last year taught us that, in order to rebuild this economy, radical transformation is both necessary and completely possible. For any brand and every business, we hope ONE21 will spark meaningful transformation, empower their entrepreneurship, and show them what’s possible using all our resources. We’re excited to share our vision and ready to roll up our sleeves to build that future.”
In a way, “ONE21” is NBCUniversal’s version of Google I/O or Facebook F8. “Imagine if Facebook or Google stepped into the Upfronts?” Comcast posits. “‘ONE21’ is NBCU stepping into the platform developer space, but we’re taking it even further, combining developer solutions with the magic of world-class media and entertainment.”
