Buyers Praise Amazon’s Content-Heavy Upfront Despite Lack of Data Details

Amazon pulled out all the stops for its inaugural TV upfront presentation on May 14. After opening with an intimate Alicia Keys performance, more than a dozen celebrities from Amazon Prime’s slate of streaming content graced the stage, with only a few tight segments dedicated to its ad products.

While some media buyers enjoyed the focus on content and talent, others wanted more detail on how its new shoppable ad formats will work, what data tools are available and how they plug into the Amazon ecosystem.

“They focused mostly on premium video, which matches their peers during upfront week, without any key points of distinction,” said Dave Kersey, chief media officer at GSD&M, who attended the presentation in New York and currently spends on Amazon Prime across several clients. “I left feeling Amazon Prime is a ‘should consider/nice to have’ vs. a ‘must buy.’”

More stars, fewer stats

Another buyer, speaking on condition of anonymity, dubbed Amazon’s presentation the best of the week. The focus on content and talent, they said, was appropriate for Amazon as it aims to prove its position among major streamers and vie for linear TV dollars.

Multiple buyers noted that while Amazon Prime’s 115 million U.S. subscribers are impressive, subscriptions are not viewers. They haven’t forgotten that Amazon Prime’s central proposition to consumers isn’t entertainment, it’s delivering whatever you need to your doorstep in hours. One buyer saw the presentation as a way to alleviate any doubts that the streamer would be able to provide content that’s as high-quality as its data and reach.

“Now that Amazon is part of upfront week instead of the digital Newfronts, their presentation style and content seemed much more ‘TV-esque’ vs. years prior—including splashy cameos from Alicia Keys and Reese Witherspoon announcing a Legally Blonde spinoff at closing,” Corey Buller, director of commerce media at Mars United Commerce, told ADWEEK.

‘Everyone is endemic on Amazon’

The slate of content, from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Road House to the new sports documentaries on Roger Federer and Dale Earnhardt, makes Amazon Prime a must-have for viewers, one buyer said, making it the right place for any advertiser.

Another buyer agreed that the content made a compelling case for advertisers, highlighting the sports content and what they perceived as the fruits of a successful relationship with MGM. The scale of Amazon’s data across its properties and the measurement opportunities offered were highlighted in a short segment led by Tanner Elton, vp of U.S. ad sales for Amazon Ads, and Sarah Iooss, director of U.S. agency Twitch sales for Amazon Ads. But it wasn’t “hitting you over the head with it,” the buyer said, which they appreciated.

Elton argued during the presentation that all brands can operate as endemic advertisers on Amazon, regardless of whether they technically sell on the platform, due to the depth of the tech giant’s consumer data.

Multiple buyers that ADWEEK spoke with agreed that that’s what sets Amazon apart as an ad partner. Whether you’re selling life insurance or you’re selling yogurt, Amazon has your audiences, one buyer summarized.

Tapping into existing franchises

But despite its reach, Amazon is still making some strategic plays in content, noted Jordan Sagisi, senior director of Amazon commerce at Mars United Commerce.

“They are leaning heavily into franchises that already have a fan base,” Sagisi said, listing off the Jack Reacher and Alex Cross books, Marvel, Fallout, Tomb Raider and Lord of the Rings. “It’s a pretty smart play … fans of a creator or content series are much more likely to purchase products from content sponsors so they can show their appreciation to those brands for supporting and helping to maintain their favorite content.”

Still, the lack of technical detail bothered some buyers, who wanted more information about how the measurement pieces connect back to Amazon’s different properties.

“The upfront presentation would have been a great opportunity to showcase their plans to connect content and commerce together, something incredibly unique to Amazon,” Kersey said. “Agencies and brands are focused on driving positive business results—we want to see how an omnichannel ecosystem can deliver on this.”