The news: Omnicom Media announced a partnership with Netflix at this year’s Cannes Lions focused on enhancing ad relevance for viewers. The deal is the first between Omnicom Media and Netflix and is currently available in the US; a global expansion is planned by the end of 2026.

• The partnership will leverage data from Omicom-owned Acxiom, integrating audience insights into Netflix’s ad offerings and AI-powered technology to improve targeting on the streaming platform.
• Omnicom clients will ideally be able to run ads on Netflix that are personalized and relevant to user interests with the aim of making ads feel less intrusive in the process.
• The partnership also lets brands create AI-generated digital twins of real-world products like cars or phones and place them inside Netflix content as in-stream assets or virtual product placements. When tied to targeted advertising, that could mean different viewers see different, more relevant branded objects or placements.

Why it matters: Ad relevance plays a significant role in shaping consumer perceptions of brands.

• 76% of consumers are more likely to pay attention to ads that feel relevant to them, while two in three say that personalized and relevant ads helped them discover products, per Verve.
• The same study showed that nearly three-quarters (72%) of consumers surveyed would be less likely to pay for ad-free subscriptions if the ads they saw were targeted and interesting.
• 61% of consumers say that they don’t mind sponsored ads if the brand or product feels relevant, per Bain and ROI Rocket. But only 42% say that the ads they see are actually pertinent to them—a gap that the partnership between Omnicom and Netflix could address.

The deal could also appeal to advertisers shifting budgets to connected TV (CTV) as viewing habits evolve, but who are still grappling with the format’s growing pains. Half of US senior marketers say audience targeting inefficiencies are among the biggest challenges in CTV advertising, per Teads and MMA Global.

Implications for marketers: Omnicom and Netflix’s partnership could give brands a clearer path to audience-based targeting on premium streaming inventory—and in it with virtual product placements. A stronger data foundation from Acxiom may make streaming ads more relevant, less intrusive, and more effective.

But ads still need to maintain quality beyond being relevant at the surface level. Narrative and creative quality remain important factors in whether an ad feels personally relevant to consumers, per Smartly; strong targeting may get an ad in front of the right viewer, but strong creative determines whether it actually resonates.