The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards marked the return of longtime MTV executive and producer Van Toffler, who made his comeback to the iconic pop culture event after nearly a decade away.
Toffler, who had spent close to 30 years at the music network and once served as president of MTV Networks Music and Logo Group, brought his new production company Gunpowder & Sky together with Den of Thieves to rejuvenate the show.
#VMAs producer Van Toffler on the ICE commercials that came on during the broadcast:
“I have no idea or nor do I control any of the commercials. But that doesn’t make me feel good.”
Full Q&A: https://t.co/iMFqU01a6u https://t.co/JBHOnXsn2N pic.twitter.com/FgCHmXhhCK
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) September 8, 2025
The result was a night many described as a revival of the VMAs, complete with dynamic performances from stars such as Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, and Yungblud. The show won widespread acclaim and delivered the highest ratings the VMAs had seen in years.
But despite the success, one element of the broadcast left many viewers uncomfortable. Ahead of and throughout the live telecast, commercials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were repeatedly aired.
These ads, part of a federal recruitment campaign to bring more agents into ICE, immediately sparked controversy given their timing and political undertones. With the current Trump administration strongly focused on deportations and border enforcement, many felt the ads clashed inappropriately with the cultural atmosphere of the show.
Fans expressed outrage online, questioning why such politically charged advertisements would appear during a celebration of music and entertainment. In addressing the matter, Toffler admitted he shared some of their dismay. Speaking with Rolling Stone, the interviewer remarked that “it felt like every other break was an ICE commercial or Department of Corrections.”
Toffler responded candidly, saying, “Obviously, I have no idea or nor do I control any of the commercials,” while conceding that “that doesn’t make me feel good.”
Even as the ad controversy dominated conversations among viewers, Toffler’s primary responsibility remained the show itself, no small task given the technical and creative demands of staging a massive production for both a live audience and broadcast channels.
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In his conversation with TheWrap, he outlined the difficulties of creating performances that worked equally well on stage and on television, especially as the VMAs expanded to multiple platforms including CBS. He admitted it stretched the production team, but the payoff was worth it: the event scored the VMAs’ highest viewership in six years.
According to Nielsen data, the broadcast reached 5.5 million viewers across Paramount networks, a 42% increase compared to the previous year. Those numbers marked a significant rebound for the awards show, which had struggled with declining ratings over much of the past decade.
This performance suggests that Toffler’s vision for the VMAs connected with audiences who are eager for the kind of big, unpredictable moments that the ceremony was known for during its peak years.
#VMAs producer Van Toffler answers your burning questions about the show, from Sabrina Carpenter’s trans rights sign to the negotiations behind that Ozzy tribute.
Read: https://t.co/iMFqU00CgW pic.twitter.com/eES7dUOvCi
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) September 8, 2025
Indeed, the producer emphasized he was not interested in stripping the show of its traditional edge, even as it reached a broader audience through broadcast television. “I, like many of my fellow colleagues who grew up at MTV, are not great rule followers,” Toffler admitted.
He added that while the team dealt with the challenge of CBS standards, “There were some quite risqué performances, but we never asked anybody to hold back.”
Despite the frustration over ICE commercials, Toffler’s actual goal for the ceremony seems to have been accomplished, as both fans and critics agreed the 2025 VMAs restored some of the magic the franchise had lost. With the multi-year production deal that Gunpowder & Sky has signed, Toffler will remain at the helm of the VMAs in the near future.
