Netflix not only has more original TV titles in its US catalogue than any other streamer, but analysis from Ampere’s Analytics – Advertising US data reveals that Netflix shows 12% more ads per hour of original titles relative to its licensed titles. It’s only one of two streamers where ads in originals outweighs ads in non-originals, the other being Amazon Prime Video despite having the most number of licensed TV titles of any streamer. As the overall ads per hour on these platforms are lower than the others, the trend further separates Netflix and Amazon Prime Video from streamers run by legacy Hollywood studios.
On the other end of the spectrum, HBO Max has the biggest gap in where ads are placed in its catalogue. Licensed titles there have 19% more ads in them than HBO Max originals, likely a strategy stemming from its origins as a premium cable channel (HBO) that airs content with no ads. Interestingly, as Disney+ and Hulu share content across platforms, originals from one are treated more like licensed titles on the other; i.e., Disney+ originals on Hulu have more ads per hour than Hulu originals, and Hulu originals on Disney+ show more ads than Disney+ originals.
These are all important points to consider as streaming advertising strategies evolve, even if viewers may not notice the patterns themselves. Netflix, despite avoiding advertising for as long as it could, likely wants its minimal ad load to be seen by the most viewers, and its originals are watched a lot. In its viewing report for the second half of 2024, the top 15 most watched TV titles were Netflix originals, and together accounted for a combined 4.4m global viewing hours. On the other hand, in an effort to maintain the perception that its originals are ‘premium’, HBO Max places significantly more ads in licensed titles. Even if those originals are viewed more than non-originals, HBO Max can charge advertisers, well, a premium for that limited and coveted ad space.
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