TikTok plans to make a big pitch to advertisers for the first time

• For the first time, TikTok will join companies like YouTube and Hulu as they present to advertisers at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's NewFronts.  
• The NewFronts were originally scheduled to run from April 27 through May 6 in New York City. Now, companies have switched to virtual events between June 22 and June 26.

An AFP collaborator poses for a picture using the smart phone application TikTok on December 14, 2018 in Paris. - TikTok, is a Chinese short-form video-sharing app, which has proved wildly popular this year. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo credit should read -/AFP via Getty Images)

-/AFP | GettyImages

For the first time, TikTok will join companies like YouTube and Hulu as they present to advertisers at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's NewFronts.  

The spring NewFronts are digital media's take on the traditional TV upfronts, when advertisers commit a large amount of their yearly TV spending in deals as networks throw glitzy presentations and parties to show media buyers their programming, audience data and ad tools. 

The NewFronts were originally scheduled to run from April 27 through May 6 in New York City. Now, companies have switched to virtual events between June 22 and June 26. Though tech companies like Google's YouTube, Roku and Hulu along with publishers like The Wall Street Journal and Vice Media Group are still on the schedule, others, like Amazon and Twitter said last month they won't be participating in the events this year. Snap and Facebook, which have presented before at NewFronts' west coast presentations, are also on the June schedule.

Though TikTok is still fairly new on the scene as it pertains to advertising, it's become immensely interesting for advertisers trying to reach Gen Z as brands like Chipotle and Mac cosmetics have seen success with campaigns on the platform. And TikTok continues to build out and test new products, like a new format linking advertisers to prominent influencers, Digiday reported earlier this month. 

NewFronts organizers said in a release that this year's events will respond to the "major shift in audience behavior and subsequent surge in streaming" that's occurred as consumers are at home mid-pandemic.