Updated with execution comments. Three Amazon advertising executives wrapped up the company's first upfront presentation Tuesday morning in New York, opening the 90-minute show with remarks from two senior-level colleagues.
Tanner Elton, vice president of U.S. advertising sales, emphasized the company's scale of differentiation, with Prime Video reaching 200 million monthly viewers. “This is Amazon. We are the place where customers come to shop and do more,” Elton said. “That means we can do things that others can't.”
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Sarah Iooss, director of U.S. agency development and Twitch, told Pier 36 ad buyers that all ad buyers can benefit from the technology and data insights that have long been at the company's core. . “You are an endemic species of the Amazon,” she said.
As they talked, the screen behind them filled with statistics. That included Amazon reaching 175 million viewers in the U.S. with monthly ad support through platforms such as Prime Video, Twitch, Fire TV and Freevee. Prime Video started running ads earlier this year to all subscribers except those who choose to pay a monthly fee to avoid ads.
Following Mr. Elton and Mr. Ios, Alan Moss, Vice President of Global Advertising Sales at Amazon Ads, was the closing speaker. He started at Google in 2020 after 13 years at Google and held executive positions at PayPal and Microsoft. “When I joined Amazon about four years ago, the number one question people asked me was, 'When will I show ads on Prime Video?'” By bringing ads to Prime Video, we've built the world's largest ad-supported premium streaming service. We're connecting the dots across the universe.”
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Amazon senior executives Paul Cortas and Mike Hopkins make the tech giant's first move by detailing the steps it will take to become what Hopkins calls a “one-stop shop” for viewers and advertisers. started an upfront.
After Alicia Keys began her presentation at Pier 36 along New York's East River, Costas took the stage. The senior vice president of Amazon Ads began by poking fun at his low profile despite helping build Amazon's multibillion-dollar advertising business. “Maybe you need to tweak your LinkedIn profile,” he said.
Looking at its strategy, he said the company has “created the ability for brands of all types and sizes to reach customers through content on Prime Video.” What's not explicitly stated, but what informed this whole flashy affair, is that Prime Video started running ads with movie and TV titles earlier this year. CEO Andy Jassy said in his annual letter to shareholders last month that the initiative was “off to a great start.” Streaming video offerings have been a cornerstone of the company's advertising drive, with revenue increasing more than 20% year over year for several consecutive quarters.
“Today is all about how we integrate Prime Video's vast reach with advertising technology that leverages Amazon's billions of customer signals,” Kotas said. The company's reach spans “from the top of the funnel to the bottom of every brand.” …We've been working towards this moment for years, so it means so much to be on this stage. ”
Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios, pointed to statistics that illustrate Amazon's size after nearly 20 years in the streaming industry. With an average of 200 million customers worldwide, of which he says 115 million are in the United States, Prime Video is “the world's largest ad-supported streaming service.” Netflix has more subscribers overall, at 270 million, but its efforts in advertising are in the early stages, with Prime Video's foray into advertising delayed by peers such as Twitch and Freevee. It is receiving strong promotion.
“We've been working to make Prime Video your one-stop shop for streaming, and with your help we can also make it your one-stop destination for advertising,” Hopkins told ad buyers. I'm going to do it,” he said.
In addition to original programming, Hopkins said Prime Video has a vast lineup of third-party streaming services, including Max and Crunchyroll, and the largest catalog of movie and TV rental and sales titles. It pointed out.
Ahead of its main upfront week alongside media companies Netflix and YouTube, Amazon held an event at NewFronts, highlighting its growing presence in live sports in recent editions. NFL Thursday Night Football enters his second season after his 11-year exclusive contract with Prime Video.
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