Subscribers who watch films and TV shows on Amazon Prime Video look set to see more adverts as the company increases the number it shows in a bid to drive more revenue. According to the Financial Times, the streaming service will increase the amount of adverts it shows from next year.
That will include adverts in the middle of TV shows for the first time, rather than just at the start. Amazon recently started showing adverts, even for people who subscribe to the paid-for service. Users can pay an extra charge to have the adverts taken out.
Amazon says it has not seen a significant fall in the number of subscribers since it started putting adverts into its content eight months ago. Kelly Day, vice-president of Prime Video International, told the Financial Times there would be more advertising slots in content from 2025.
That will include adverts in the middle of programmes – not just at the start. Other platforms such as Disney+ and Nerflix offer cheaper subscriptions which also feature adverts.
But Amazon tried another tactic, putting everyone into the advert showing bracket unless they paid more, rather than getting people to choose to pay less and see the ads.
Kelly Day told the FT: “We know it was a bit of a contrarian approach to take to things from us. But . . . it’s actually gone much better than we even anticipated.” She added: “We haven’t really seen a groundswell of people churning out or cancelling.”
As well as more adverts, the ads will be interactive – allowing people to buy from the adverts by clicking their remotes or scanning with a phone.
Amazon made $12.8bn from digital advertising in the second quarter of 2024.