By Barry Walsh

Taking a page out of traditional media’s playbook, creator-focused company Spotter is hosting an upfront in New York at the end of this month featuring some of the biggest names on YouTube.

Set to take the stage at the first Spotter Showcase on March 27 are MrBeast, Dude Perfect, Kinigra Deon, Ryan Trahan, Rebecca Zamolo and Jordan Matter, among others. And their big pitch for ad spend commitments will be hosted by creator/podcaster duo Colin & Samir, who are also on board as the invite-only event’s producers.

Spotter says its showcase is designed to give top CMOs and ad agency leaders an inside look at the “content calendars, formats, tentpole series, audience data and upcoming ideas” that are being developed by the participating creators. And importantly, this new event will get a jump on most of the calendar’s existing TV and streaming upfronts, which effectively kick off on April 9. 

Meanwhile, the IAB NewFronts, a going concern in digital media circles since 2012, will kick off in early May. And YouTube’s Brandcast event, which is just as established, has yet to announce dates for its spring edition.

Founded in 2019, Spotter offers its clients services including measurement analytics, bespoke software, ideation tools through its Spotter Studio, and growth capital through its Spotter Licensing division. The LA-based company says its event will combine “intimate discussions” with “real-world case studies illustrating how creator-led entertainment is shaping culture and redefining brand impact.”

The numbers back up this assertion: Nielsen data has had YouTube on top of the streaming pyramid for the last two years in terms of viewing hours on TV, surpassing both Netflix and Hulu. And Spotter says the creators on its roster have collectively racked up more than 77 billion minutes watched in the US.

“It’s not just about ad placements—it’s about deep consumer attention and fostering authentic collaborations that give brands access to the unrivaled scale, trust and engagement of creator audiences,” said Spotter CEO and founder Aaron DeBevoise about the upcoming Showcase.

“To capture cultural moments and audience engagement, brands must align with creators, who now command the largest and most engaged audiences across digital platforms,” added Spotter president Nic Paul. “Spotter Showcase is a manifestation of this new reality, where creators—not traditional networks—are starting to lead the entertainment industry.”

A version of this story originally appeared in Kidscreen Daily‘s sister publication Realscreen Daily.