The Revry NewFronts were a Hit!
NewFronts Day 3—Twitter Shows Up After All And Inside Tiktok’s Invite-Only Event Plus: Lgbtq+ Streamer Revry Surprises Advertisers
AdAge, Parker Herren, 5/4/2023
LGBTQ+ streamer Revry surprised advertisers with a presentation far more fabulous than the typical pitch, Ad Age’s Parker Herren writes. The media programmer showcased its content through a “Wizard of Oz”-themed musical, called the “Wizard of Yaaaaas,” on the NewFronts main stage. The performance took advertisers down the Revry-brick road, on which CEO Damian Pelliccione (as the “Good Bitch of the West”) introduced Revry’s top shows personified by a cast of voguing dancers who spun, split, duck-walked, back handspringed and death dropped across the stage. The number, which included humorous asides to assure advertisers Revry includes brand-safe programming and plenty of branded content opportunities, featured performers Madison Rose as Dorothy and Mila Jam as the “Wizard of Yaaaaas.”
Revry plans Series A for LGBTQ+ media network
AXIOS, Kerry Flynn, 5/4/2023
Revry is raising funding as it seeks to grow its LGBTQ+ media network, CMO Paul Kontonis exclusively tells Axios.
Details: Revry plans to raise a Series A later this year. It is currently working on closing a bridge round on the heels of launching an ad network, Kontonis says.
Catch up quick: CEO Damian Pelliccione started Revry in 2015, along with three co-founders Alia J. Daniels, Christopher Rodriguez and LaShawn McGhee, after identifying the absence of a queer streaming network available on his Apple TV.
Revry launched a subscription service in 2016 and has since expanded to ad-supported channels. The Los Angeles-based company has about 30 employees.
What's happening: Revry's leadership team was in New York yesterday, presenting its content slate to a crowded room of more than 300 advertisers and more streaming virtually at the IAB NewFronts.
While most presentations were composed of sizzle reels, slides and brief panels, Revry put on a 15-minute show called "The Wizard of Yaaaas" with singing and dancing. Pelliccione played the good witch, guiding Dorothy down the Revry Road to Rainbow City.
"The queer community is so welcoming," Dorothy, played by singer Madison Rose, said onstage. "And loyal," Pelliccione replied. "We have the highest return on marketing investment in all the land."
Be smart: Revry aligns with several growing media trends. It has a network of free ad-supported streaming television channels, and it is a diverse-owned and operated company that serves a multicultural audience.
Revry is certified by the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and as a diverse media supplier by the Association of National Advertisers. Those certifications mean it can help brands meet their goals of supporting such businesses and reaching those communities.
NewFronts: Revry Brings New Slate to NewFronts
Broadcasting + Cable, Jon Lafayette 5/4/2023
Revry, the streaming service aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, showed of a slate of new programming at its NewFronts presentation on Wednesday.
“We’re honored to be the first LGBTQ+ media company to present at the NewFronts and showcase the incredible brand-safe programming we have to offer,” said co-founder Damian Pelliccione. “It took over 15 years for a company like ours to connect with advertisers who share our diverse values and want to reach this valuable audience.”
New Revry shows include:
Culture Q: A weekly pop-culture news show described as “part Good Morning America, part E! News.”
QueerX Awards: Revry calls this the premier queer pop-culture awards show, featuring such awards categories as Best Queer Anthem and Queer Cultural Moment of the Year. Big Freedia, Ninel Conde, Drag Queen and Kim Petras are scheduled to appear.
Pride Ball: Revry will host the definitive live vogue ballroom dance competition. Houses will be pitted against one another in a queer spectator sports spectacle. Featuring Dashaun Wesley of the House of Ebony, hundreds of fierce competitors, iconic judges, and live performances to stun the crowd, the event will also be livestreamed on social media and across Revry Networks.
King of Drag: The show takes the concept of the drag competition TV show and turns it on its head by exclusively featuring Drag King performers. The show is presented by Emmy-winning producers Mark Bracero (Queer Eye) and Linda Morel (Black Lady Sketch Show) and features Landon Cider (winner of Dragula).
Revry last month announced the launch of PrismRiot, a multi-minority certified LGBTQ+ advertising network, with a reach of over 110 million U.S. households across connected TV and mobile platforms. PrismRiot gives brand access to the LGBTQ+ community, which has significant purchasing power, Revry said.
Live from the NewFronts
Cynopsis, Lynn Leahey, 5/4/2023
The first week of the 2023 NewFronts is coming to an end, but discourse over ad innovation and connection capabilities is heating up. Celebrity wattage from the likes of Anna Wintour, Edward Enniful, J Balvin and Ashley Park wasn’t enough to distract from presentations that focused on industry-altering new content, tech and advertising opportunities – not even Revry’s LGBTQ-inspired performance of “The Wizard of Oz” (though it came close). Read more about the voices and visions driving results.
Production & Development
Cynopsis, Lynn Leahey, 5/5/2023
Among the programming announced at the NewFront event hosted by Revry, home of LGBTQ+ content, was pop culture news show “Culture Q”; season two of “Drag Latina”; the “QueerX Awards”; dance competition “Pride Ball”; drag competition “King of Drag”; and season three of “House of Pride.”
Diverse media owners lean into FAST networks and tout loyal audiences
Campaign, Sabrina Sanchez, 5/4/2023
Latinx media companies make a push for FAST channels, while Revry boasts its original LGBTQ+ content.
Diverse-owned media companies took center stage on day three of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Newfronts on Wednesday, touting their original content, data capabilities and access to a large swathe of underrepresented audiences.
Meanwhile, LGBTQIA+-owned and targeted streaming network Revry presented for the first time, pitching its ability to reach the community through original content.
Revry made history on Wednesday as the first LGBTQ+ owned and led company to present at the Newfronts.
In a Wizard of Oz themed creative display, Revry focused on being a free, brand-safe place for diverse and inclusive queer programming where advertisers can tap a large LGBTQ+ audience.
In other words, it's the best solution to travel “over the rainbow” to “Rainbow city,” CEO Damian Pelliccione, who identifies as nonbinary and played "The Good Bitch of the West” said.
They unveiled an array of new programming advertisers can market against, including pop culture news show Culture Q, season 2 of Drag Latina and a queer awards show called QueerX Awards, among others. It also shared that season three of House of Pride, a variety show featuring emerging queer talent, will be sponsored by McDonald’s.
Just ahead of the presentation, the company launched PrismRiot, a multi-minority certified LGBTQ+ advertising network reaching more than 110 million U.S. households across platforms.
For its part, Revry claims it already reaches nearly five million monthly viewers, and it is NGLCC certified as well as an ANA Diversity Supplier.
NewFronts day three focuses on CTV measurement, ad tech and Spanish-language media platforms
Digiday, Sara Guaglione, 5/4/2023
Revry was onstage on Wednesday as the first LGBTQ-focused presentation in the NewFronts’ history, with an energy-fueled performance that included dancing and Wizard of Oz costumes.
Inside the Stream – 5 Key Takeaways from the 2023 IAB NewFronts
NScreenMedia & VideoNuze, Colin Dixon and Will Richmond
Presentations were very high quality (13:30) Will was especially impressed with the presentations from Revry, Amazon, and Roku.
