How AI in Netflix Ads Places Brands in Shows
When Emily Cooper steps up to pitch advertisers, you know Netflix’s ad game is on point. At the recent upfront event, the streaming giant shared exciting updates. For starters, their ad tier hit 94 million monthly active users globally, a massive milestone. Plus, they unveiled new AI-powered formats that cleverly place brands within the worlds of popular shows like Wednesday and Stranger Things.
Adding to the buzz, Lily Collins, star of Emily in Paris, made a cameo as her character to showcase Netflix’s in-house adtech to potential advertisers. The event was held at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York and was a hit with attendees.
In addition to these ad-related highlights, Netflix teased an impressive lineup of upcoming projects. Fans can look forward to new seasons of titles like Wednesday, Stranger Things, The Diplomat, Forever, and The Four Seasons. Not to mention, exciting new shows such as Jamie Foxx’s Fight for ‘84 and Denzel Washington’s Here Comes the Flood are in the works.
We caught up with Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s ads president, to learn more about the company’s adtech updates and the Emily Cooper moment during the upfront event. Reinhard shared insights on Netflix’s evolving approach to NFL Christmas games, its cutting-edge ad innovations, and the strategies behind the engaging in-show branding with AI technology.
Speaking about their priorities for the upfront event, Reinhard highlighted two key goals. Firstly, emphasizing the launch of their ad suite and the upcoming international rollouts. Secondly, showcasing their top-notch content and bringing out the stars. Reinhard expressed excitement about the prospects of launching their ad suite, which is expected to streamline operations and accelerate innovation within the company.
Netflix’s groundbreaking modular framework, powered by AI, allows brands to seamlessly blend into the worlds of popular shows like Wednesday and Stranger Things. This innovation opens up new possibilities for advertisers, enabling them to connect with audiences in more immersive ways. By leveraging existing video and photo assets from their libraries, Netflix aims to create engaging experiences that benefit both users and advertisers.
Looking ahead, Netflix plans to experiment with various ad formats tailored to different industries and products. Reinhard outlined the company’s vision to rapidly test and refine dozens of ad formats by 2026. The goal is to offer advertisers a competitive edge through personalized and optimized ad experiences that resonate with audiences.
Lastly, the clever move to feature Lily Collins as Emily Cooper in a promotional video was a stroke of brilliance by Netflix’s marketing team. The decision perfectly aligned with the event’s theme and drew praise for its creative and engaging approach. Reinhard credited the marketing team for their stellar execution, highlighting the seamless integration of Collins’ character into the ad suite narrative.
