Netflix is looking to change the negative connotation of binge-watching TV by declaring that TV, as a medium, is getting better. Through this impressively produced native ad on Wired, Netflix is, somewhat audaciously, positioning itself as the force that elevated television’s medium status from cultural wasteland. One point it brought up, however, is truthfully valid: the easy access to comprehensive TV catalogues provided by over-the-top service providers like Netflix does help to cultivate a more consumer-led, sophisticated TV market. Therefore, it is disrupting the traditional model that the industry was accustomed to.
This is just one of the two recent high profile cases of “Snowfall” native ad that Netflix has tried its hands on (the other one ran on NY Times). Seeing the attention and acclaim of both ad has received, one can’t help but wonder if such success is truly replicable, if even cost-efficient. Entertainment is a great fit for this new breed of ad because there would already be a narrative for the ad to build on, But would it actually work for other marketing efforts as well?
