Netflix helps brands deepen NFL integrations with new ad partnerships

Dive Brief:

Netflix has sold out of available in-game inventory for its live broadcast of two NFL Christmas Day games, per details shared with Marketing Dive. FanDuel and Verizon will have special sponsorship segments, while all partners will run traditional ads during the games.
The streaming platform has partnered with multiple advertisers across its 12 ad-supported countries around the upcoming season of hit show “Squid Game.” Kia will serve as Netflix’s first single-title sponsor in Korea in a partnership timed to the launch of its Sportage SUV.
Netflix now has 70 million monthly active ad-tier users globally and announced more agency partners around measurement and ad buying as it prepares to launch its in-house ad tech globally next year.

Dive Insight:

Netflix marked the two-year anniversary of its ad business by announcing that it now has 70 million active users globally for its ad-supported tier, with over half of new sign-ups for ads plans in ad-supported countries. As users increasingly sign up for Netflix’s ad experience, so do major advertisers looking to reach viewers of the platform’s popular content.

As part of Netflix’s broadcast of two NFL games on Christmas Day, FanDuel — the exclusive pregame sportsbook betting partner — will sponsor an in-show segment that includes Netflix Christmas Gameday talent, while Verizon will be the official sponsor of a segment before kickoff. In addition, all ad partners will run traditional commercials during the broadcast.

The platform has also made a major ad push around the forthcoming second season of its hit show “Squid Game,” which is set to premiere on Dec. 26. Kia in Korea collaborated with Netflix on three-part custom ad creative and will host an experiential pop-up at Kia Unplugged Ground in Seoul. The campaign, “The New Sportage,” is in support of its latest crossover SUV.

To better meet advertiser needs around streaming measurement, Netflix announced several new partnerships. The platform has partnered with VideoAmp in the U.S. to deliver cross-screen and live viewership measurement — beginning in January with the launch of WWE on Netflix — which will leverage VideoAmp’s clean room partnership with Snowflake.

Netflix has partnered with Nielsen for live ratings of its Christmas Day games, collaborating on first-party streaming data for which the company recently received accreditation from the Media Rating Council. The company has also partnered with Kantar in Brazil and expanded its relationship with Barb in the U.K. around measurement.

Netflix’s ads plans are helping advertisers meet their goals, per details shared with Marketing Dive. An auto advertiser in the U.S. received more search and web visit engagement after running a Netflix campaign, with ad-supported members over 3.2x more likely to engage with the ad compared to other connected TV services and 4.5x more likely to engage compared to linear TV.

The measurement moves come as Netflix begins testing its in-house advertising technology in Canada, with plans for a global roll out in 2025. The company has enabled programmatic guaranteed buying in the U.S., Brazil, Canada and Mexico, with capabilities expanding to Europe, Australia, Japan and Korea in 2025, through partners including Lucid, Cuebiq, NCS, Affinity and more.

Netflix last month hired Nicolle Pangis as vice president of advertising. Previously CEO of TV ad sales company Ampersand, the executive replaces Peter Naylor and will report to President of Advertising Amy Reinhard.