Netflix Hosts First UK Upfront

Streamer Sets Date For EMEA Ads Expansion, Announces New Series and Releases New Ads Performance

Ed Couchman, Head of Advertising UK, opened Netflix’s first UK Upfront in Central London, with a call to brands and advertisers to get closer to the company’s growing business: “The point is, we're not the small challenger in this market anymore. Your customers are watching Netflix — and they're not going anywhere. The only question is whether your media plans went with them.” 

According to Barb, Netflix’s ad supported plan reaches over 14 million viewers in the UK alone - nearly one in four people nationwide. But more than that, they’re engaged: 86% of them pay attention when they sit down to watch Netflix.

And what’s holding that attention? 

Anne Mensah, VP Content UK, shared the recipe to success: “In this noisy media world, it’s not enough to just show up. You have to grab people by the heart. It’s the only way to get real attention. Real feelings. Real fandom. And that is what our shows do — again and again.”

Mensah charted the evolution of the UK slate from well-known classics like The Crown, through to more recent successes like The Gentlemen. She spoke about the range and variety of programming available to UK members, and the authenticity that comes from being deeply rooted in the UK creative industry. And the results speak for themselves - according to OFCOM, this year Netflix passed the BBC as the first choice for UK audiences when they’re deciding what to watch.

She also highlighted a range of upcoming titles and made several announcements. Black Doves Season 2 was confirmed for November 5th, accompanied by a global exclusive first look at the trailer. Plus Charlie Brooker's Blackmere will be released in 2027. New commissions include scripted series Witch Hunt and comedy entertainment Hot or Cold. She also confirmed the long awaited heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in Cardiff this December.

A-list talent joined the stage in-person and virtually, including Charlie Brooker (Charlie Brooker’s Blackmere), Florence Pugh (East of Eden), Kiera Knightley (Black Doves), Dolly Alderton and Emma Corrin (Pride & Prejudice), Tosin Cole (Supacell), Hannah Todd and Masali Baduza (Bridgerton), Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, Blake Harrison and James Buckley (The Inbetweeners 3).

Alongside the slate, Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s President of Advertising, underlined the importance of an exceptional member experience when it comes to keeping attention: “The magic of Netflix is the ability to marry art and science. The shows and movies people know and love, and the technology to reach them with the right message at the right time.” 

She shared the latest updates to the offering available to brands and advertisers in the UK and wider EMEA region. Netflix Ads Suite, the company’s proprietary tech stack which launched in May 2025, has become increasingly sophisticated with new data collaboration tools, targeting and measurement solutions and the introduction of new formats. Most notably, Pause Ads will be available programmatically across partner DSPs from next month, and Netflix will expand demographic targeting capabilities to include income and household composition.

Reinhard ended by announcing Netflix’s ad supported plan will expand to nine new countries in EMEA on 1 March 2027. This means members in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland will have additional choice and flexibility,  and advertisers and brands the opportunity to reach them.

"We’ve got cutting-edge tech. We’ve got great entertainment. We’ve got the most engaged and attentive audience anywhere. We’ve proven we’re effective. And we’re ready to compete with anyone," said Reinhard.

Magno Herran, the company’s VP Global Brand and Marketing Partnerships, shared all the different ways brands and advertisers can get closer to Netflix’s stories and the people watching them: “We have the most engaged audience, incredible reach, and the ability to bring just about any idea to life. Of course the right choice really depends on the problem you’re trying to solve.”

He gave a range of examples that demonstrated Netflix’s effectiveness: like Domino’s Pizza, who experienced an increase in brand recall and favourability with their target audience following their sponsorship of the Fury vs. Makhmudov fight earlier this year. 

He also unpacked the crucial role of Netflix’s Brand Creative Studio - a dedicated team of writers, designers, producers and strategists who co-create custom brand partnerships. Herran highlighted "The Gentlemen's Serve," as a great example of this. The multi-market campaign with Stella Artois was built around The Gentlemen Season 2, pairing the show's Theo James with Stella’s global ambassador Sir David Beckham. It is part of Netflix's global multi-year partnership with AB InBev.

Herran previewed a recent global study with System1, which found nine out of ten of Netflix’s UK brand partnership ads landed in its top 1% for long-term brand-building potential. Those same partnerships scored highly for short-term sales potential too, a combination Herran pointed out is unique. Partners can build their brand and drive sales in the same campaign - Netflix partnerships are ten times more likely than average to deliver on both at once. 

"If there's one thing we've learned, it's that when you entertain our fans, you earn the right to sell to them," said Herran.