Netflix Upfront 2026: Get Closer

At our fourth Upfront, Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s President of Advertising, set the stage: “If the last couple of years were about proving we’re a durable player, this year is about establishing ourselves as a formidable one.” 

A Scaled, Engaged Ads Business

Netflix with ads now reaches more than 250M global monthly active viewers. These viewers are deeply engaged: over 80% of ads members are actively watching every week. 

This is due to our incredible slate of can’t-miss entertainment, like Wednesday, The Night Agent, Happy Gilmore 2, and Stranger Things. In 2025, Netflix had more Nielsen Top 10 originals than any other streamer — almost five times our nearest competitor. 

As our business grows, we’re bringing the ads plan to even more members around the world. Starting in 2027, Netflix’s ads plan will expand to 15 new countries, including Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand, giving members more affordable plan options and advertisers more opportunities to reach our audience. 

“We’ve got cutting-edge technology, we’ve got great entertainment across shows, movies, podcasts, and live events, and we’ve got the most engaged and attentive audience. We’ve proven we’re effective, and now we’re expanding ads to more places and we’re ready to compete with anyone,” said Reinhard.

More Ways to Entertain, More Places to Advertise 

Netflix has entertainment for every moment and we’re turning that into more high-quality ad inventory. Video podcasts arrived earlier this year, and vertical videos are now available on mobile. For advertisers, new ad inventory across podcasts and vertical video will be available globally in 2027. 

We’re also expanding brand partnership opportunities on Tudum, our official fan site, which generates more than 24M views each month with exclusive content and can’t-miss recaps. Looking ahead, we’ll offer even more fan-first placements so brands can show up where fandom is already thriving.

The AI Advantage 

Netflix has been building and using AI and machine learning tools for decades, and we’ve always believed that innovation should serve storytelling and the creative process. Now, AI is making advertising with Netflix easier and more efficient.

• We now offer AI-driven tooling to develop and optimize media plans based on brands’ objectives, and are testing AI agents to manage, optimize, and purchase ads on Netflix. 

• We’re leveraging AI to adapt existing advertiser assets so they look great in different canvases across the service – like vertical video ads or pause ads.  

• Last year, we began using AI to marry advertiser ad creative with the shows, films, and worlds our members love. We recently tested with DoorDash, Target, and TurboTax, and have significantly improved the quality and execution. We’re now bringing this capability to every ad-supported region by the end of the year.

• We’re testing new personalized ad loads and frequency caps that dynamically adjust the ads our members see, based on their viewing behaviors. 

Better Planning, Better Buying, Better Results

Since launching the Netflix Ads Suite, we’ve been expanding capabilities that help clients plan smarter, buy more streamlined and drive better results. 

“Netflix is the only place that can leverage the best tech with the best shows and movies in the world. 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.” Nicolle Pangis, Vice President of Advertising at Netflix, said. 

Planning: We’re providing our own planning tools to help advertisers achieve even stronger results.

• Our new Audience Insights API enables advertisers to develop a deeper understanding of our members' characteristics and viewing behaviors. 

• Our Reach Curve API empowers advertisers to accurately forecast their campaign reach using Netflix insights for smarter, data-driven planning.

• We’ve integrated with partners like Snowflake and Amazon Web Services for secure collaboration through the Data Clean Room technology, and will add Infosum by the end of 2026.

• We’ve also expanded our agency and platform partner collaborations and tech integrations with leading partners Dentsu, Horizon, Omnicom, PMG, and Tinuiti across a variety of solutions, like Planning APIs and data clean rooms. These integrations are designed to build data-driven partnerships that drive impact.

Buying: Netflix continues to make it easier to buy our ad inventory.

• We’re expanding programmatic capabilities to Pause Ads and Live using our Dynamic Ad Insertion technology. Clients can now buy both via their preferred DSP partner, making campaigns even more targeted and personalized. These will be available this summer in the US and Canada, and other countries by the end of this year. 

• We’re also enabling programmatic audience targeting for all ad-supported countries on Amazon DSP by June 1 and Yahoo DSP in the months to follow. 

• We’re expanding our optimization tools for advertisers, including the ability to maximize conversions and outcomes to deliver the best possible results for Netflix buys.

Results: Netflix reaches a unique and attentive audience for our advertising partners, as 44% of members who see an ad on Netflix never saw it on broadcast TV or other streamers. Campaigns on Netflix drive almost 2x the TV norm on long-term brand building and 23% above benchmarks on purchase intent compared to competitors.

• We’re also seeing great success with our brand partnerships. On a recent Dove and Bridgerton campaign, spanning consumer products to custom spots, Dove saw an almost 60% increase in new shoppers for products. 

New Series, Films, and Live Events

Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer, underscored  Netflix’s unique ability to entertain at scale, “Netflix has always been the pioneer. The innovator. The company willing to make big bets that no one else saw coming. We’ve dared to imagine things that have never been done before. And every time, it’s paid off,” said Bajaria. 

Bajaria made several programming announcements:

• New shows: The Retrievals, Barbaric, Myron Bolitar, Calabasas, and Untitled Nick Cannon Docuseries. 

• New films: Grown Ups 3 and A Matter of Time.

• New live event: The Westminster Dog Show. 

• NFL on Netflix: We’ll have even more NFL on Netflix in 2026, with the first regular season game live from Australia featuring the Los Angeles Rams vs. the San Francisco 49ers, a matchup on Thanksgiving Eve of the Green Bay Packers vs. the Los Angeles Rams, two games on Christmas Day and a game in Week 18. We’ll also have the NFL Honors during Super Bowl week in 2027.¹

• Renewals: Love is Blind, Big Mistakes, My Life With the Walter Boys, Quarterback and Running Point. 

To bring even more love to the “Golden” fans around the world, Netflix announced a KPop Demon Hunters World Concert Tour, which will show fans how it’s done in 2027.

And after unveiling highlights of the upcoming slate, Bajaria continued: “Everyone has something. No one else has everything — not at the scale and quality that we do.” 

A-list talent joined Netflix on stage, including: Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein (Office Romance); Florence Pugh (East of Eden); Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman (The Hunting Wives); Mia Hamm, Julia Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers, Carla Overbeck and Joy Fawcett (The ‘99ers); Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes 3); Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest); John Cena and Eric Andre (Little Brother); Alix and Ashtin Earle (Earle Meets World); Tina Fey and Will Forte (The Four Seasons); Pete Davidson (The Pete Davidson Show); Chase Stokes, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss and Carlacia Grant (Outer Banks); Hasan Minhaj (Best of the Best); Leanne Morgan (Leanne); and Netflix’s On-Air Host for Live Sports Elle Duncan.

Upcoming 2026 and Beyond Slate Highlights: 

Returning Favorites: 

• 3 Body Problem Season 2 

• America’s Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 3 

• Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2

• Big Mistakes Season 2 

• Black Doves Season 2 

• Bridgerton Season 5

• Emily in Paris Season 6

• The Diplomat Season 4

• The Four Seasons Season 2 

• The Gentlemen Season 2

• The Hunting Wives Season 2

• Leanne Season 2

• Love is Blind Season 11 

• Lupin Part 4

• My Life With the Walter Boys Season 4

• Nobody Wants This Season 3 

• Outer Banks Season 5 

• Quarterback Season 3 

• Running Point Season 3 

• Survival of the Thickest Season 3

• Sweet Magnolias Season 5

• Tires Season 3

• The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On Season 4

Live Events:

• FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027

• MLB Field of Dreams Game 

• MLB Home Run Derby

• NFL on Netflix

• Six Kings Slam

• The Westminster Dog Show

New Drama Series:

• Alexander

• The Altruists

• Barbaric 

• The Body

• The Boroughs

• Calabasas

• The Corrections 

• East of Eden 

• I Will Find You 

• Kennedy 

• Little House on the Prairie 

• Lovesick 

• Myron Bolitar

• Nemesis 

• Pride & Prejudice 

• The Retrievals

• The Roman

• Scooby Doo: Origins

• Trigger Point 

• Unaccustomed Earth 

New Comedy Series:

• A Different World

• The Hawk

• A Hundred Percent 

• I Suck at Girls 

• Minimum Wage 

• Uncorked 

New Nonfiction Series & Films: 

• Calabasas Confidential 

• Earle Meets World

• The Golden Ticket 

• Let’s Marry Harry 

• Untitled Nick Cannon Docuseries 

• Win the Mall

New Stand-Up Specials:

• Louis C.K.: Ridiculous

• Mike Tyson: The Return of Mike

• Stavros Halkias: Uncle Stav

• Wanda Sykes: Legacy 

New Films:

• The ‘99ers

• Best of the Best

• Eloise 

• Enola Holmes 3 

• Extraction 3

• The Fifth Wheel

• Good Sex

• Grown Ups 3

• Little Brother 

• A Matter of Time

• Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

• Office Romance 

• Protecting Jared

• Quasimodo

• Yeti

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