Netflix Announces Its Advertising Layer Reached 70 Million Users Worldwide

netflixA company that once rejected the concept of allowing ads on popular streaming content can’t seem to get enough of them anymore.

The streaming giant said Tuesday that its ad-supported tier now has 70 million users worldwide, compared to the 40 million it announced in May and the 22 million it said in January; This is a growth trajectory that major marketers want to see before taking action. Netflix’s advertising options are more serious.

Netflix “continues to see steady progress in its member base across all countries,” he said Amy ReinhardNetflix’s head of advertising made a statement. “More than 50% of new Netflix sign-ups are now for the ad plan in ad-supported countries.”

While Netflix’s global numbers are impressive, most marketers don’t make global ad buys, choosing to target different promotional messages in specific geographic regions, and media buyers in the U.S. I’d like to see the Netflix ad layer generate more impressions overall. But growth in ad-level subscribers has continued, which could spark new interest on Madison Avenue.

Meanwhile, Reinhard said Netflix has sold out all available commercial inventory for its upcoming Christmas Day NFL broadcasts, marking the first time the streamer will show live games from a major sports league. Advertisers in the games will include FanDuel and Verizon. FanDuel will serve as an exclusive sports betting partner during the pre-game program, which will present a sponsored segment that will feature talent in the show offering analysis and predictions based on FanDuel’s odds for the games. Verizon will sponsor a segment that will air before kickoff.

He also offered sponsorship details for the upcoming season of “Squid Game.” The executive noted that Netflix “partners with multiple advertisers in 12 ad-supported countries, including Kia in Korea.” As part of this agreement, Kia will highlight the crossover SUV “New Sportage” in three-part tie-in ads. Kia will also host a “pop up” event at the Kia Unplugged Ground, a complex in Seoul.

Netflix has begun making new inroads into audience measurement and ad technology, two other areas that are increasingly important to major sponsors.

Reinhard said the company will use technology from VideoAmp, one of several startups competing with Nielsen to count viewers, to “offer cross-screen and live view measurement to advertisers.” Both will debut when WWE premieres on Netflix in January. Netflix will use Kantar Ibope CAV in early 2025 to examine cross-streamer reach and frequency in Brazil. In October, the company expanded its relationship with Barb in the United Kingdom to examine the viewing behavior of subscribers to its ad-supported Netflix tier. There.

In the US, Netflix commissioned Nielsen to measure live viewership of NFL games. The publisher will contribute its own first-party data to the table. It’s part of a new methodology recently approved by the Media Ratings Council.

Netflix also said it was starting to operate its own ad tech in Canada, part of a move it announced earlier this year. From his partnership with MicRosoft. “As we continue to evolve our advertising technology, we look forward to delivering enhanced forecasting capabilities and new targeting, reporting, measurement and insights,” said Reinhard. “Netflix’s in-house advertising technology will be available globally throughout 2025.”