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Once upon at time there were no Stranger Things than watching ads on Netflix. Those times are long gone.
At its third annual upfront event on Wednesday, held at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York, the streaming giant announced several adtech advancements, more robust branded partnerships, and an ad tier that now boasts 94 million monthly active users globally
Among the highlights, Netflix explained how it plans to expand Netflix Ads Suite—the company’s in-house ad platform—in the coming months. NAS is currently live in the U.S. and Canada, and goes live in EMEA next week. It will be available in all 12 of Netflix’s ad-supported countries by June.
To showcase the platform, Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s ads president, recruited Emily in Paris herself, Lily Collins. The actress noted that “you can now target more than 100 interests in over 17 categories— including life stages.”
New adtech and formats
According to Netflix, the company’s ad tier has eight times higher brand favorability than the CTV average and leads to 162% higher sales per impression. The company revealed several new enhancements to build on those numbers further.
Advertisers can now incorporate their first-party data, either through LiveRamp or directly with Netflix, to match data sets for behavioral insights and targeting capabilities against Netflix’s ads audience. The company also opened third-party data access to Experian and Acxiom and announced a clean room strategy for more privacy and security.
Additionally, the streamer is offering more options and deal types for programmatic buying, expanding measurement with new first-party measurement solutions, which start with brand lift capability to tie viewing to brand perceptions.
Format enhancements include Netflix’s new modular framework for ad formats, which leverages generative AI to access Netflix’s library of shows to create a more relevant and personalized ad experience for users and brands. Plus, the company is utilizing interactive midroll and pause formats to build custom advertising creative with added overlays, calls to action, and second-screen buttons.
The formats will be available by 2026 in all ad-supported countries.
“By controlling our own adtech, we’ll be able to deliver newer tools, better measurement, and more creative formats,” Reinhard said.
More branded opportunities
In addition to the adtech enhancements, Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, noted that the company is leaning into creative ways to partner with brands.
The executive noted that Cheetos, Wendy’s, and Booking.com are teaming up with the streamer for Wednesday Season 2, which premieres in two parts starting in August.
“Together, we can bring stories to life in ways none of us can do on our own. That’s our idea of the perfect partnership,” Lee said.
New programming on the way
Tentpoles are among the priorities for the streamer this year, and Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, said the company is taking “big, bold swings,” announcing several live events, including WWE every week, the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano rematch fight on July 11, as well as NFL Christmas Day matchups: the Dallas Cowboys at the Washington Commanders, and the Detroit Lions at the Minnesota Vikings.
Upcoming (non-live-event) programming includes new seasons of The Diplomat, Forever, The Four Seasons, Love on the Spectrum, Million Dollar Secret, My Life With the Walter Boys, Survival of the Thickest, and Seasons 5 and 6 of Bridgerton.
Meanwhile, new projects include such films and shows as Jamie Foxx’s Fight for ’84, an untitled Dan Levy project, Deion Sanders documentary Prime Time, Denzel Washington and Daisy Edgar-Jones in Here Comes the Flood, and Star Search.
“If you take away anything from today, I hope it’s this: The foundations of our ads business are in place. And going forward, the pace of progress will be even faster,” Reinhard said. “Plus, we already have the most important thing: the most engaged audience anywhere.”
