Four years after the news broke that Netflix was to introduce ads to its streaming service, the SVOD giant has announced the expansion of its ad-supported tier into 15 new markets in 2027. At the company’s fourth annual Upfront presentation, Netflix revealed that next year, the ads plan will be available in Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand.
Netflix is also expanding its inventory after launching a series of new products over the last few months. The company brought video podcasts onto the streaming service earlier this year, and last month revamped its mobile app, adding a new vertical video feed called ‘Clips’. Today the business announced that ad inventory across podcasts and vertical video will be available globally in 2027.
The Upfront announcements find the Netflix ads business continuing to evolve, from offering “minimum viable product” when it launched in partnership with Microsoft, to its own in-house Ads Suite released last year. Today’s update sees the company continue to build out its programmatic capabilities, building on the demand-side platform (DSP) partnerships with Amazon and Yahoo announced in 2025, to add further planning and targeting options for buyers in different markets.
“If the last couple of years were about proving we’re a durable player, this year is about establishing ourselves as a formidable one,” said Amy Reinhard, President of Advertising at Netflix.
Programmatic capabilities and planning tools
Expanding on the company’s partnerships with Amazon DSP and Yahoo DSP, the company made Amazon Audiences and Yahoo DSP audiences available for targeting in the US back in March. Today the business confirmed that the Amazon DSP targeting capabilities would be rolled out to all ad-supported markets by 1st June, with Yahoo DSP audiences to follow in the coming months.
In addition the streaming giant announced it will make Pause Ads and Live inventory available to buy programatically. Buyers will be able to access both these types of inventory via their preferred DSP partner, according to Netflix, initially launching in the US and Canada this summer, before becoming available in other markets by the end of the year.
The company also introduced new planning tools for the Netflix Ads Suite, including an Audience Insights API, offering advertisers insights into its members’ characteristics and viewing behaviours, and a Reach Curve API, enabling advertisers to forecast campaign reach. Netflix added that it has integrated Snowflake and Amazon Web Services for secure collaboration via data clean room technology, and will add Infosum by the end of 2026.
“Netflix is the only place that can leverage the best tech with the best shows and movies in the world,” said Nicolle Pangis, Vice President of Advertising at Netflix. “That’s why we built the Netflix Ads Suite — it’s the easiest and fastest way to deliver better capabilities, better measurement and more creative formats.”
AI agents and demon hunters
AI was another key component of the presentation, revealing that a number of tests are underway to integrate the tech into its ads business, having long been vocal about embracing AI in content production and discovery. The company is now testing AI agents to manage, optimise and purchase ads on Netflix, as well as running tests for personalised ad loads and frequency caps that adjust the ads that members see based on their viewing behaviour.
Meanwhile on the creative side, Netflix is using AI to adapt existing advertiser assets for different placements across the streaming service, such as vertical video ads or pause ads. The company has also been using the technology to combine ad creative with Netflix content, including tests with DoorDash and Target, and plans to bring these features to every ad-supported region by the end of the year.
And on the content front, Netflix announced the return of reality show Love is Blind, a new live event in the form of The Westminster Dog Show, and even a KPop Demon Hunters World Concert Tour, which will span 150 cities in 2027.
“We have cutting-edge technology, great entertainment across shows, movies, podcasts, and live events, and the most engaged and attentive audience,” said Reinhard. “We’ve proven we are effective, and now we’re expanding ads to more places. Netflix is ready to compete with anyone.”
Follow VideoWeek on LinkedIn.
