INSIGHTS INSPIRED BY INDUSTRY LEADERS
PREMIUM INTERNET TRENDS IN 2025
CURRATED COMMENTARY & TAKEAWAYS FROM WATAUGA
Each year, The Trade Desk convenes industry leaders, media partners, and marketers for its flagship event, Forward. This year’s event, FWD25, explored the future of digital advertising with a focus on The Rise of the Premium Internet. Through thought-provoking panels and deep industry insights, The Trade Desk challenged advertisers to think beyond cheap impressions, calling for a higher standard of quality, transparency, and performance across the open internet.
From connected TV to programmatic innovation, from responsible data usage to the power of context, FWD25 unpacked how brands can show up in more meaningful, measurable, and premium environments—especially as consumer expectations continue to evolve.
Watch the full event here: FWD25 Video Content
At Watauga, we tuned in with curiosity and a strategy-first lens. The themes presented sparked important conversations within our team—about what’s next for our clients, where we see opportunity, and how we can adapt our planning to be smarter and more intentional.
This report captures the highlights that resonated most with us, along with our take on what they mean in practice—from planning guidance to actionable insights. It’s not a recap; it’s a translation, through our POV, for the brands we serve.
Definition
OPEN PREMIUM INTERNET
Investing in Trust
with The New York Times
TAKEAWAY
INSIGHTS
The New York Time’s Essential Subscription Strategy
The NYT prioritizes direct relationships with advertisers but has incorporated programmatic because they recognize that this is where their buyers, advertisers, and agencies really are
Brand-Building Media
with Disney & McDonalds
TAKEAWAY
By integrating both firework and campfire campaigns, we can craft media strategies that blend broad reach with personal relevance, driving both business results and brand loyalty.
Additionally, exploring ways to measure long-term impact and using holistic data, rather than siloed metrics, will allow us to optimize our media investments and improve client outcomes.
INSIGHTS
McDonald’s Marketing Vision: Being culturally and personally relevant to build lifelong customers. MEDIA IS AT THE HEART OF THIS VISION.
The Power of Live
with NBCUniversal
TAKEAWAY
INSIGHTS
NBCU is investing in democratizing access to its content for consumers and advertisers by removing barriers like cost, exclusivity, and technical restrictions.
OLYMPICS
Consumer Viewpoint
- Reinvented the entertainment value
- All content on Peacock
Advertising Viewpoint
- Brought in a new cohort of advertisers
- Gave NBCU a quicker pulse on performance
- Used AI to review creative
Rethinking Value & Measurement
with Paramount
TAKEAWAY
INSIGHTS
A Value Math Problem
If the CPM is $3 but the viewability is 1 second, what is the value of efficiency?
Not all exposures contribute equally to business outcomes.
The Audio Advantage
with Spotify
TAKEAWAY
INSIGHTS
Cultural Zeitgeist Narrative
Spotify has the ability to reflect, influence, and even define what’s culturally relevant at any given moment through music and podcasts.
Audio accounts for 20% of daily media consumption, yet receives only 4.5% of ad spend, providing opportunity for investment in an under-leveraged channel.
New AI-powered creative tools are giving clients the opportunity to include audio in their plans, without having to invest in someone to produce their creative for them.
While listening to audio, consumers are in their “happy place” and more receptive
First-party data helps Spotify identify and predict trends, allowing brands to align with key moments.
The Smarter CTV Buying Playbook
with Warner Bros. Discovery
TAKEAWAY
INSIGHTS
Transparency & Supply Path Optimization (SPO)
- Transparency in CTV means premium inventory. Buy side needs access to more insights.
- SPO helps brands cut through CTV clutter—buying smarter, skipping middlemen, and making every ad dollar work harder.
CTV is a Full-Funnel Advertising Opportunity
- Enhanced contextual targeting capabilities using metadata and AI to scan their entire catalog.
- Other opportunities such as live sports integrations and shoppable CTV experiences are bringing new ideas to buyers.
WBD is trying to:
The Viewer Value Exchange
with Tubi
TAKEAWAY
INSIGHTS
Tubi has achieved incredible success in the past two years with their new CEO. Here are some key insights they have found along the way:
Tubi offers scale & premium inventory without the premium costs.
What is Tubi looking towards in the future and how does it benefit media buyers?
1
Continue to offer innovative activations (i.e. Super Bowl)
2
Flexible buying models
3
Upcoming innovations- new mobile strategies, brand integrations, first-to-market opportunities.
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