The 2025 Amazon Australia Upfront delivers premium content and cutting-edge ad tech

Amazon's 2025 Australia Upfront brought together entertainment, live sports, and advertising innovation in a showcase that highlighted the company's growing influence in the Australian streaming landscape. Hosted by Australian comedian and Deadloch actor Nina Oyama, whose signature wit kept the energy high throughout the evening, senior Amazon Ads and Prime Video executives unveiled an ambitious vision for 2026 in Australia.

Nina Oyama, host of the 2025 Amazon Australia Upfront

A year of Prime Video ads

Reflecting on Prime Video ads' inaugural year in Australia, Jessica Roach, Head of Non-Endemic Ads Sales, Australia and New Zealand, highlighted how Prime Video is transforming advertising opportunities for all brands.

"Last year, we launched Prime Video ads in Australia, and many of you in this room have been on this transformative journey with us," said Roach. "Today, I'm here to tell you what that actually means for advertisers. You don't have to sell on our store to benefit from Prime Video ads. Whether you're a retailer, financial services provider, or automotive brand, you can now reach and engage over 5 million ad-supported monthly viewers on Prime Video in their most engaged moments and understand exactly how your streaming TV campaigns drive real business outcomes."

Jessica Roach, Head of Non-Endemic Sales, Amazon Ads ANZ

Over the past year, Prime Video ads campaigns have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness, driving 1.3x higher brand awareness compared to industry benchmarks and delivering 2.7x higher brand consideration rates.¹

Looking ahead to 2026, Roach unveiled new innovative ad formats coming to Prime Video in Australia, including interactive video ads enabling viewers to add products directly to their Amazon cart through their remote control and interactive pause ads that transform natural viewing breaks into meaningful brand moments. For brands who don't sell on Amazon, these formats are supported by a "learn more" capability that allows customers to interact with brands without leaving their viewing experience.

Roach also announced an enhanced sponsorship model for 2026, allowing advertisers to leverage award-winning IP on Prime Video and across Amazon's canvas. This includes custom bumpers, IP-driven custom ads, tune-in promotions, and sponsored content rows—creating a comprehensive suite of sponsorship capabilities to build audience anticipation and engagement throughout the entire content lifecycle, from pre-launch through post-premiere.

Driving cultural moments through premium entertainment and sports

Hwei Loke, Head of Prime Video, ANZ, took to the stage to unveil an ambitious entertainment slate. “We’re proud that Prime Video is a first-stop entertainment destination, offering customers a wide selection of premium original series and movies, licensed content, and live sports—including the NBA and ICC Cricket—plus the ability to rent or buy thousands of new and popular titles, as well as add-on subscriptions like Paramount+, HBO Max, and Apple TV+,” said Loke. “In 2026, we will launch our most exciting slate yet. From homegrown Aussie gems that are making waves globally, to international blockbusters that’ll have you clearing your calendar, and unmissable live events—Prime Video is delivering entertainment you won’t want to miss.”

Hwei Loke, Head of Prime Video ANZ

The evening's star announcement was the return of hit Australian original series Deadloch. Set in Darwin, Season 2 promises more murders, more crocodiles, and more of the distinctly Australian humor that helped the first season reach the Top 10 in over 165 countries. Loke also announced that the new season will welcome Luke Hemsworth to the cast.

Australian Cricket captain Pat Cummins joined the presentation to discuss Prime Video’s commitment to its growing live sports portfolio. Cummins highlighted Prime Video's exclusive coverage of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, which will stream live and free for all Australian fans.

Pat Cummins, Australian Cricket Captain

Transforming advertising through AI and advanced technology

Willie Pang, General Manager of Amazon Ads, Australia and New Zealand, unveiled how Amazon is revolutionizing advertising through significant investments in artificial intelligence and advanced technology.

"The Australian advertising landscape is experiencing a fundamental shift as viewers become more selective about their entertainment choices," said Pang. "By combining our extensive library of hit shows, movies, and live sports with our trillions of signals and advanced AI capabilities, we're helping brands drive full-funnel campaigns at scale. This isn't just about reaching audiences—it's about connecting with customers during high-value moments across their shopping and viewing journeys."

Willie Pang, General Manager of Amazon Ads ANZ

In 2026, Amazon Ads will introduce Complete TV to Australia. The new suite of tools in Amazon DSP can help TV buyers plan, manage, and measure their holistic streaming TV buys across Prime Video and other streaming publishers, including Netflix. The solution provides AI-powered recommendations for managing streaming budgets, helping advertisers maximize reach while eliminating media waste across linear and streaming channels.

Amazon Ads also highlighted the new global partnership with Netflix, which will provide Australian advertisers direct access to Netflix's premium ad inventory via Amazon DSP starting in Q4 2025.

The event concluded with an energetic exchange between host Oyama and Alexa, showcasing the playful intersection of entertainment and technology that defines Amazon's approach to innovation, before Willie Pang delivered closing remarks on Amazon's vision for the future of advertising in Australia.

Sources

¹ Amazon Internal Data, AU, 2024.