• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, April 20, 2023

After declining to comment on why -- after a decade of participating in the Interactive Advertising Bureau's annual newfronts -- it won't be part of this year's annual presentations, Digitas informed MediaPost that it is instead planning to hold a private, "client-focused event" on May 5.

An agency spokesperson declined to explain why -- after originally conceiving the newfronts as one of the ad industry's highest-profile public events -- it is taking its own approach private, but said this year's client-only meeting will continue "our long tradition of encouraging thought leadership and innovation in the branded entertainment, storytelling, and creator-led spaces.

"While we're proud of our legacy as NewFront founders, as the marketplace evolves, we're taking a different approach this year with a hyper-focus on our clients' needs and the future of content and brand storytelling."

The agency declined to comment further, including where it will take place, who will participate and what the focus of it will be, and the IAB also declined to comment on the omission of Digitas from its official newfronts events May 1-4 this year.

After launching the newfronts in 2008, Digitas turned it over to the IAB in 2012 and has participated in it every year since, until this one.