Netflix says its influence among people who want to watch commercials is growing.
The streaming titan said Wednesday during its “upfront” presentation to advertisers that its ad-supported subscription tier reaches reaches more than 250 million global monthly active viewers, up from the 190 million it cited in November of 2025. Over 80% of these members watch actively every week, Netflix said.
“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, the company’s president of advertising, during a presentation to advertisers Wednesday.
The company cited the success of selections including “Wednesday,” “The Night Agent,” “Happy Gilmore 2,” and “Stranger Things.” But part of the boost comes from a decision made last year to focus on a metric known as “monthly active viewers,” or “members who have watched at least one minute of ads on Netflix per month multiplied by the estimated average number of people within a household. The figure is derived from Netflix’s own research, not a third-party measurement entity.
The new total, 250 million, represents an eyebrow-raising 31% increase from November. In past years, Netflix based its measurement on account profiles, or users, rather than the number of people in a home that subscribes to its service.
Netflix continues to strive to become more competitive with its peers in the battle to win ad dollars from Madison Avenue. While there is no denying the company’s power in terms of developing compelling content, Netflix has less experience than many traditional media conglomerates when it comes to ad sales. The company has been racing to build a line-up of live specials and sports when the bulk of its offering comes from scripted drama, comedy and movies — the type of stuff that viewers tend to stream on their own, at moments of their own choosing, rather than together, which is still what many advertisers crave.
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That dynamic has crimped Netflix’ ability to woo ad dollars away from Disney, NBCUniversal and other media companies that have hours of live sports to sell, according to media buyers. These buying executives indicate that advertisers are certainly interested in Netflix’ progress in selling advertising, but note that the company has probably had more success in striking sponsorship deals of individual titles rather than selling sheer tonnage of its inventory. Indeed, in recent weeks, Netflix unveiled a deal with State Farm that has its popular “Jake from State Farm” character turning up in the sports series “Running Point.”
Netflix said it plans to expand its ad offering. Netflix’s ad tier will expand to 15 new countries starting in 2027, including Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand. The company plans to open new kinds of commercial inventory in podcasts and alongside vertical video across the globe in 2027. And it will expand opportunities for advertisers to sponsor its own fan site, Tudum.
From Variety US