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Netflix is back in the (in-person) TV upfront rotation.
Top line
After suddenly shifting to a virtual event last year, the streaming company will make its in-person upfront debut on May 16 at Manhattan’s Pier59 Studios. However, the event won’t be a traditional upfront presentation.
Between the lines
This year, Netflix will host The Netflix Experience, an interactive, immersive event open for partners all day at Pier59 Studios.
The company had originally planned its inaugural in-person upfront presentation at the Netflix-owned Paris Theater last year, but it pivoted to a virtual event due to concerns about disruption from the Hollywood writers strike.
The return to in-person will have featured rooms and experiences centered on the company’s series, films and live events, including Stranger Things, Squid Games, Netflix Is a Joke and Netflix Bites.
The company will also host an “intimate” first-look presentation with Netflix leadership on May 15 in the afternoon.
Bottom line
It’s Netflix’s second time in the traditional upfront week, following the company’s ad-tier launch in late 2022. The company took the spot originally vacated by Paramount.
In 2023, Netflix closed its first upfront and secured deals with all major holding companies, as well as multiple independent advertising agencies.
During CES this year, the streamer announced the addition of pause ads to its ad offerings and revealed that its ad tier now reaches 23 million monthly active users globally.
