What Marketers Learned About the Future of TV Advertising at Forward™ 2025

On September 4th, the industry's most forward-thinking marketers gathered at The Glasshouse, one of New York’s most striking venues offering breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. The setting was as modern and iconic as the ideas shared on stage, making it the perfect backdrop to explore the future of TV advertising and dive into the new channels delivering scale and performance alongside the old playbook. The energy this year was bigger than ever, and the conversations reflected just how far the industry has come.

Check out the sizzle reel to get a closer look at our #Forward2025 conference!

Here’s a recap of what was discussed:

Building for the Future of TV Advertising
It’s no secret that reaching customers is getting harder than ever. And the old playbook isn't cutting it. That’s why modern marketers are turning to platforms like AppLovin, Reddit, and Tatari for TV - channels that are seeing massive growth and rewriting the rules of engagement. At l, we unveiled how we’re building for this next era: direct buying through publishers, new ways to measure performance and incremental reach, and an upgraded self-service experience that strips away complexity. Throughout the day, we heard from marketing leaders putting these strategies into practice.

The Symbiotic Future of TV and Digital
Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit, highlighted how TV and online platforms form a “symbiotic relationship,” pointing to the 50,000 Reddit communities devoted to discussing content people watch on TV. As he put it, there aren’t simply “first and second screens” - TV and digital are both primary, complementing each other in powerful ways.

Scaling Growth from Meta to the Super Bowl
Poppi founder Allison Ellsworth shared her inspiring journey from mixing recipes in her kitchen to building a billion-dollar soda brand, and how she scaled her advertising from running ads on Meta to landing a TV spot in the Super Bowl. Along the way, she highlighted how TV gave Poppi something digital alone couldn’t: mass awareness, credibility, and cultural relevance.

TV’s Cross-Channel Performance Impact
Our very own CEO, Philip Inghelbrecht, sat down with AppLovin CEO, Adam Foroughi, for an intimate conversation about how TV fits into the future of performance marketing. Adam shared how TV creates a measurable halo effect across digital channels like mobile, helping justify the cost of investment by driving stronger cross-channel results.

Why Linear and Streaming Work Better Together
Calm’s Director of Growth, Mavis Brefo, and Dave’s Head of User Acquisition, Melissa Lertsmitivanta showed why linear and streaming isn’t a winner-take-all strategy, but a strategic mix that works better together. They each shared how that combination is unlocking greater results through a convergent TV strategy.

How TV’s Halo Effect Makes Every Other Channel Stronger
Saatva’s VP of Digital Marketing, Alex Diesbach joined Coterie’s SVP of Growth, Ankur Goyal to discuss how they each harness TV to drive retail sales while creating a measurable halo effect across digital channels.

Why Betting Big on TV Pays Off
Tricia LaBarge, Sr. Director, Brand Media & Digital Marketing at Ariat and David De Rosa, head of Paid Media at Gusto, showed why bold bets on TV deliver big rewards. By leaning into sports and cultural moments, they demonstrated how brands can capture massive reach, scale quickly, and cement themselves in the cultural conversation.

Looking Forward™ to Next Year
As we close the chapter on another successful Forward™ conference, our sights are already set on next year. While the event continues to grow, we remain committed to preserving the high-quality, intimate experience that makes Forward™ truly special. We hope to see you next year!