Two years following its debut, the Netflix ad-supported plan boasts 70 million monthly active users.
Netflix, the streaming giant, has announced a series of significant moves in the realm of advertising, aiming to enhance its offerings and attract new partners.
In a strategic move, Netflix has enabled programmatic guaranteed buying in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. This service will expand to Europe in February 2025 and to Australia, Japan, and Korea later in the year. This development offers increased flexibility and control for clients, as demonstrated by the new ad tech recently launched in Canada.
One of Netflix's most notable partnerships is with Kia in Korea, marking the streaming service's first single-title sponsorship in the country. This collaboration is timed to the launch of Kia's new crossover SUV, The New Sportage, and will see Netflix and Kia collaborating on a storytelling three-part custom ad creative. Furthermore, a joint experiential pop-up will be hosted at Kia Unplugged Ground, Kia's cultural complex in Seoul.
In the realm of sports, Netflix has secured two NFL games on Christmas Day for streaming in the 2025 season. These games will be streamed exclusively on Netflix, making it the first platform to air NFL games during that holiday. However, specific partners for the pre-game show period have not been mentioned in the available information. Verizon will be the Netflix Christmas kickoff sponsor and the official partner for the pre-kick segment.
FanDuel will be Netflix's exclusive pregame sportsbook betting partner, with a sponsored in-show feature. A custom segment called "Netflix Christmas Gameday" will be included, offering analysis and predictions aligned to FanDuel's wagering odds for the games. All partners will also run traditional ad commercials throughout the games.
Netflix has also partnered with VideoAmp in the U.S. for cross-screen and live viewership measurement, starting with WWE's launch in January. VideoAmp will leverage its Snowflake clean-room partnership to deliver measurement results with high privacy and security. Netflix has also struck a ratings partnership with Nielsen for the Christmas Day games.
The streaming service has been working diligently to improve its ad tech and measurement capabilities. As a result, Netflix's ad-supported members were more than 3.2 times more likely to engage with the ad compared to other CTV services and 4.5 times more likely to engage compared to linear. This engagement has resulted in increased search and web visits for a U.S. auto advertiser after running its campaign on Netflix.
Netflix's ad-supported tier now reaches 70 million monthly active users worldwide. With more than 50% of new Netflix signups opting for the ad-supported plan in countries where it is available, it's clear that this strategy is resonating with viewers.
As Netflix continues to roll out its in-house advertising technology globally throughout 2025, it's an exciting time for the streaming service as it expands its offerings and partners with some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports.
