Credit: Amazon
Amazon’s 2025 Upfront wasn’t a pitch, it was a statement of intent, according to media buyers who attended the event in Sydney this week.
The streaming and retail giant showcased its latest slate of global and local content, but it was the full-funnel advertising push, across Prime Video, Amazon DSP and its broader ecommerce ecosystem, that drew the most attention.
“Amazon’s upfront wasn’t a showcase, it was a power move,” said Daniela Rocchi, head of investment at Initiative Sydney.
“The ambition is clear, not just entertainment, but an operating system for marketing where content, culture, commerce, and AI converge.”
Prime Video’s content lineup included new local originals, major global franchises and creator-led formats. Blade Runner 2099, Scarpetta with Nicole Kidman, Deadloch S2 and Elle featured alongside creator hits like MrBeast’s Beast Games and upcoming sports coverage of the NBA, ICC cricket and an AFL docuseries.
“The play here, breadth plus global, local resonance equals cultural dominance,” Rocchi said.
Michelle Francis, transformation director at OMD, said Amazon’s approach to streaming was no longer about volume, but relevance.
“Streaming isn’t just about stacking libraries anymore, it’s about creating cultural moments that spill far beyond the screen,” she said.
“Young adult dramas like The Summer I Turned Pretty prove it. These shows don’t just get watched; they’re clipped, stitched, debated and meme-ified until they dominate TikTok feeds and group chats.
“For advertisers, that’s a rare opportunity to plug directly into culture while it’s happening.”
Amazon’s pitch leaned heavily on its ad innovations.
Pause ads, shoppable formats and Prime Video’s First Impression Takeovers were positioned as direct paths to purchase, a clear appeal to marketers looking for measurable results.
Hope Williams, managing director at Podean, described the format evolution as a turning point for retail media.
“A pause ad that takes you straight to ‘add to cart’ turns the biggest screen in the house into a storefront. This is retail media at its most potent: shoppable moments stitched into storytelling, proven by closed-loop measurement.” Williams said.
"Amazon’s ability to link Prime Video directly to shopping is a step-change for endemic brands, collapsing the funnel in a way local TV networks and BVOD cannot.
"The real unlock will be in Amazon DSP, which extends reach beyond Amazon’s walls while tying back to retail data, giving endemic advertisers a measurable and scalable path to growth."
With Amazon’s continued growth in Australia, the marketplace is embedding fast into consumer behaviour, making it critical that brands connect their retail operations with media strategy so every ad dollar is tied to availability, price and profit.
For Avenue C’s media and investment partner Karen Shin, Amazon’s full-funnel model offers something few can match.
“Pause ads, shoppable carousels, and first-impression takeovers may not be new, but when integrated across Amazon’s ecosystem, they create a seamless path from discovery to purchase,” she said.
“The Upfronts weren’t about flashy promises. They were a statement.”
That integration now includes Netflix, with Amazon confirming its DSP will carry Netflix inventory in-market.
The move was seen by many as a serious shot at streaming consolidation.
“The big swing, Netflix inventory joins Amazon DSP,” Rocchi said.
“One platform, endless reach, outcomes over eyeballs.”
Tom Rankin, general manager at Mediahub, said Amazon made no secret of its intent.
“Add Netflix (and others) into the Amazon DSP and the promise of unified planning across Prime and premium broadcasters, and the ambition was clear,” Rankin said.
“Amazon wants to be the one-stop shop: content, ads, data, and instant shoppability.”
Still, Francis pointed to some timing concerns.
“While these formats are a step forward, their delayed rollout raises questions and wondering if ‘coming soon’ actually means ‘fashionably late’,” she said.
Even with some announcements carried over from Amazon’s US upfront in May, local media execs said the event had enough Australia-specific developments to hold attention.
“Flashy, yes, but with meaningful content, data, and innovation to back it up,” Rankin said.
“‘Full funnel’ was hammered home a shameless number of times, but the proof was there.
“New shoppable video formats and polished case studies from Unilever and DoorDash showing how brands are leaning into Amazon’s full stack, from content to commerce to measurement.”
Shin added that Amazon is building a platform where “content, commerce and partnerships collide,” and suggested that its growing monthly ad-supported reach, now at 5 million viewers, gives brands a clearer path across the customer journey.
Simon Conyard, national head of performance at Wavemaker, said Amazon delivered ‘a clear intention to advertisers’ of being the number one entertainment hub and go-to spot for streaming while delivering on full funnel solutions for advertisers.
“With the current screens and media measurement landscape being more fragmented and divided than ever,” he said.
“Amazon called its hard-working pitch to deliver a unified content-to-commerce solution ‘humble’ and that will most definitely resonate with advertisers and agencies in the market.”
Conyard also praised Amazon’s content slate and said it represented a wide reach for advertisers.
“What impressed me most was their ambition to unify most, if not all, of the premium streaming platforms and online video inventory to make the Amazon DSP a compelling planning and buying shop for streaming video investment,” he said.
“This could be a game changer and solve a lot of headaches for advertisers and agencies navigating a fragmented video landscape.”
Conyard said for him the takeaway from the event was clear.
“Amazon can be an integral destination and partner to deliver multi-objectives for advertisers, with the growing strength of their premium content streaming reach, backed by the power of their evolving ad tech and retail presence,” he said.
Independent agencies were also watching closely.
Sam Buchanan, CEO of the Independent Media Agencies Australia, said Amazon “made a compelling case for why Prime deserves a place in the media mix.”
“The innovation of the ‘add to cart’ ad format stood out as a clear example of Amazon’s future-forward ecosystem, reshaping how we think about the intersection of media and commerce,” Buchanan said.
Whether the promise of complete TV integration by 2026 becomes reality, Amazon’s direction is now unmissable.
As Rocchi put it: “While rivals sell screens, Amazon is selling outcomes.”
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