NBCUniversal Makes Ad-Tech Bid With ‘One21’ Developer Conference

Brian Steinberg
·1-min read

Facebook and Google do it. Now NBCUniversal wants to join them.

The Comcast-controlled media conglomerate intends to launch “One21,” an annual gathering it hopes will bring insights from top advertisers who are working to use new technologies to get their messages in front of increasingly resistant consumers. The initial event will take place on March 22, an effort to reach marketers early in the year and work with them in months to come.

More from Variety

If the meeting sounds similar to gatherings like Facebook F8 or Google I/O, well, it is. NBCUniversal is eager to call attention to its various platforms and get advertisers to develop concepts that might work around them. While it’s best known for its TV programs, NBCUniversal has in recent months worked to build out e-commerce capabilities along with its Peacock streaming-video hub. The company has also broken down divisions between its local and national sales units. All of those developments will spur it to seek closer interaction with consumers than what’s typically provided by traditional TV ads.

The meeting is open to creative professionals, developers, entrepreneurs and others, and will highlight opportunities with sibling operations Comcast and Sky as well.

“”One21′ will give our partners a full view of the technology that powers their plans, the stories that connect them to consumers, and the commerce tools that drive results,” said Josh Feldman, Chief Marketing Officer, NBCUniversal, Advertising and Partnerships, in a prepared statement.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Latest stories

  • North Macedonia gets first batch of Russia vaccine Sputnik V

    North Macedonia on Sunday received the first batch of 3,000 doses of Russian vaccine Sputnik V from a total order of 200,000 in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The first shipment was delivered to the country’s main airport near the capital, Skopje, and Health Minister Venko Filipce said that the Russian vaccine is aimed at people over the age of 65, and that inoculation is expected to start from the middle of next week. Doctors and nurses in the main COVID-19 center at the infectious diseases clinic in the capital, Skopje, were the first to receive the shots.

  • Pope Francis meets father of drowned Syrian boy

    Pope Francis on Sunday met the father of Alan Kurdi, the boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach six years ago became an image of the suffering of Syrians trying to escape war. The pontiff, winding up a historic trip to Iraq, met Abdullah Kurdi at the end of Mass in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil, the Vatican said in a statement. "The pope spent a long time with him (Kurdi) and with the help of an interpreter was able to listen to the pain of a father for the loss of his family," it said.

  • Frank Lupo, Writer-Producer Known for ‘The A-Team,’ ‘Wiseguy,’ Dies at 66

    Frank Lupo, the TV writer-producer who was a frequent collaborator with Stephen J. Cannell in the 1980s on such high-octane dramas as “The A-Team,” “Hunter” and “Wiseguy,” has died. He was 66. Lupo died Feb. 18 at his home in Florida, according to his sister, Linda Joy Sullivan. Lupo’s work in TV took off in […]

  • German lawmaker from Merkel's conservatives resigns over face mask scandal

    A German lawmaker from chancellor Angela Merkel's party said on Sunday he would resign "to avert further damage" for receiving payments for brokering procurement deals of facemasks for local authorities. Nikolas Loebel, a member of Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) party, said on Sunday he would resign as member of Merkel's parliamentary group with immediate effect but keep his seat in the Bundestag, the lower house, until federal elections scheduled for September. In a statement, Loebel said he apologized that his conduct did not meet the "special moral duty" of his office.

  • Taylor Swift, BTS, Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion, More to Perform at Grammy Awards

    Bad Bunny, Black Pumas, Cardi B, BTS, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Brittany Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, John Mayer, Megan Thee Stallion, Maren Morris, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch, Harry Styles, and Taylor Swift will perform at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, March 14, the Recording […]

  • Biden officials visited U.S.-Mexico border Saturday amid migrant influx

    Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas led a visit by Biden administration officials to the U.S. border with Mexico on Saturday amid a growing number of border crossings and criticism by Republicans that an immigration crisis is brewing. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has sought to reverse rigid immigration polices set up by his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, whose 2016 election and four-year presidency were dominated in part by his efforts to build a border wall and reduce the number of legal and illegal migrants coming into the United States. Biden has faced criticism from immigration activists, too, who say unaccompanied migrant children and families are being held too long in detention centers instead of being released while their asylum applications are considered.

  • Large explosions hit Equatorial Guinea city of Bata, says local TV

    A series of large explosions at a military base rocked the city of Bata in Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, according to people in the city and local media. Local TVGE is asking for people to donate blood, saying local hospitals in the Central African nation are overwhelmed. Pick-up trucks filled with survivors, many of whom were children, drove up to the front of a local hospital where some victims were filmed lying on the floor.

  • Klopp needs 'masterpiece' to fix Liverpool

    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said it would take a "masterpiece" for him to figure out how to solve his side's crisis after a sixth consecutive home defeat as relegation-threatened Fulham won 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday.

  • Norway should prepare for more COVID-19 restrictions, PM says

    Norway will likely need stronger restrictions to combat the latest resurgence in coronavirus infections, Minister Erna Solberg said in a televised speech on Sunday. "Ahead of us is another hill to climb, probably with tighter national measures before we can ease and then lift the restrictions," Solberg said. The Nordic country has maintained one of Europe's lowest rates of infection but a recent resurgence in cases has led to concerns that a third wave of the outbreak may be underway.

  • Rublev eases to eighth career title in Rotterdam

    Russia's Andrey Rublev won his eighth career title on Sunday when he eased past Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics in the Rotterdam ATP final.

  • Bennett beats Demare to win Paris-Nice stage one

    SAINT-CYR-L'ECOLE, France (Reuters) - Ireland's Sam Bennett won the opening stage of the Paris-Nice week-long race with a perfectly-executed sprint on Sunday. The Deceuninck-Quick Step rider was well positioned in the final stretch to beat French champion Arnaud Demare and former world champion Mads Pedersen of Denmark. Australian Richie Porte, third in last year's Tour, abandoned after crashing with some 35 kilometres left.

  • Real's Benzema pounces late to deny Atletico derby win

    Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema struck an 88th-minute equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw at La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid on Sunday and keep his side in the title race. Luis Suarez had put the hosts in charge in the 15th minute, producing an ice-cool finish to beat Thibaut Courtois after a lung-bursting run forward from his own half by midfielder Marcos Llorente. The Uruguayan was denied a second goal later in the half by former Atletico keeper Courtois and early in the second period, while the Belgian also thwarted his compatriot Yannick Carrasco from point-blank range.

  • Pioli hopes Ibrahimovic will be fit to face Manchester United in Europa League

    AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli is hopeful that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be fit to face his former side Manchester United in Thursday's Europa League last-16 first leg at Old Trafford. Ibrahimovic has missed Milan's last two matches with a muscle injury and watched on from the stands as his side earned a 2-0 win at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Sunday to close the gap on leaders Inter Milan to three points.

  • Disneyland may finally reopen

    The Disneyland theme park could reopen as early as April 1 as new rules from California health officials in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic take effect and infections in the area around the park drop. Combined with other park closures around the world, Disney saw a massive shift in the mix of its revenue in 2020 as it launched its video streaming service. Disney has said it planned lay off 32,000 workers, primarily working in its Parks and Resorts division, due to the pandemic.

  • Iran frees British-Iranian aid worker, for now

    Iran has released British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from house arrest at the end of her five-year prison sentence, but she has been summoned to court again on another charge, her lawyer said on Sunday.Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, is seen here with her husband and daughter.She was arrested at a Tehran airport in April 2016 and later convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran's clerical establishment.She served out most of her sentence in Tehran's Evin prison, but was released to house arrest last March during the coronavirus pandemic.On Sunday, the authorities removed her ankle tag.Iran's judiciary was not immediately available to comment about the release. Her family and the foundation deny the charge.Her lawyer, Hojjat Kermani, told an Iranian website a hearing for Zaghari-Ratcliffe's second case has been scheduled on March 14.In this case, she is accused of propaganda for participating in a rally in front of the Iranian Embassy in London in 2009 and giving an interview to the BBC Persian TV channel, he said.British foreign minister Dominic Raab welcomed the removal of Zaghari-Ratcliffe's ankle tag but said Iran continued to put her and her family through a "cruel and an intolerable ordeal."He said in a statement she must be released permanently so she can return to her family in the UK.

  • Three Gaza fishermen killed by apparent Palestinian rocket, rights group says

    Three Palestinian fishermen were killed on Sunday when their boat exploded off the Gaza Strip, a blast that a human rights group said was likely caused by errant Palestinian rocket fire. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights said the boat was two miles offshore when the shell hit and "completely destroyed it". "The center condemns the incident, which indications suggest mostly likely occurred as a result of resistance training," said the statement, referring to Palestinian militant groups.

  • Atletico denied derby victory by late Benzema equaliser

    Atletico Madrid squandered the chance to inflict a heavy blow on Real Madrid's La Liga title hopes on Sunday as Karim Benzema's late equaliser earned the champions a 1-1 draw and kept them in the race at the top.

  • Goldman Digital Asset Lead Sees Mergers Ahead for Crypto Infrastructure Providers

    As institutional appetite for bitcoin grows, "incumbent banks" will look for ways to satisfy that demand, a Goldman Sachs industry lead says.

  • Queen calls for Commonwealth unity before Harry and Meghan interview

    Britain's Queen Elizabeth celebrated on Sunday the sense of Commonwealth unity fostered by "a time like no other", just hours before a U.S. interview with her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan that could deepen divisions in the royal family. In a speech to mark Commonwealth Day, dedicated to the countries mainly from the former British empire that maintain links with Britain, the Queen welcomed the "deeper appreciation of the mutual support and spiritual sustenance we enjoy being connected to others" during the coronavirus pandemic. For almost 50 years, the royal family has attended an annual Commonwealth Day service at London's Westminster Abbey in March, but it has been cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • COVID-19 nurse inspires daughter to join the frontline

    There can be few families who've been closer to the coronavirus pandemic than the Jocelyn family in England.Jacqui has been a nurse for 30 years, 20 of those in the intensive care unit at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.Now she's been joined by her 19-year-old daughter Ruby, a student nurse.Jacqui's spent much of the past year at the bedside of patients who were dying, but couldn't see their families because of government restrictions.But her own father ended up in her ward.Jacqui says he fought a good fight for three weeks, but eventually succumbed to the virus.She's full of praise for her colleagues she describes as "the most amazing you'll ever meet."And that's one of the reasons her daughter Ruby was inspired to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a nurse instead of pursuing a degree in business and economics.Ruby says her eyes were opened up by the work that's done in the hospitals. "I can't believe what I see day in, day out" she says.Ruby began her training in September and started helping out in the intensive care ward when her mother said she needed to get some experience "on the shop floor". What many of the patients need, she says, is a friendly face, and that's what she provides.