Media.net vs System1

Qualifying Supply at the Source: How SWYM and Media.net Are Bringing Decisioning Closer to the Auction

As programmatic intelligence becomes more specialized, where that intelligence is applied matters more than ever.

Netflix Ad Boss Pitches Full-Funnel Media Plan in UK

At its first UK Upfront, Netflix's advertising chief Amy Reinhard outlined the company's ambition to expand beyond a top-of-funnel, linear TV substitute to compete for digital budgets. Netflix announced that its ad-supported plan reaches over 14 million UK viewers, with expansion into nine more EMEA countries set for March 1, 2027. Pause Ads will be available programmatically via partner DSPs next month, and demographic targeting will now include income and household composition. The company cited System1 research showing its brand partnerships excel in long-term brand-building, and highlighted live events like the Fury vs Joshua fight to attract advertisers. Reinhard stressed Netflix's subscription-first economics prevent ad load pressure, with an attention rate of 86% for UK ad-tier viewers.

• Netflix's ad-supported plan reaches over 14 million UK viewers, nearly one in four people.
• Netflix will launch its ad tier in nine additional EMEA countries on March 1, 2027.
• Pause Ads will be available programmatically through partner DSPs from next month.

QR Codes in Ads Called 'Stupid' as CTV Scan Rates Collapse

Andrew Tindall, a senior leader at System1, argues that QR codes in advertising are ineffective and harmful to brand building, citing new research showing CTV QR scan rates plummeting 60% between H1 2025 and Q4 2025 to just 0.004%. He references data from BrightLine, Innovid, TiVo, and LG Ad Solutions, which collectively show consumers largely ignore QR codes due to lack of interest. Tindall criticizes the industry's obsession with 'shoppable media' and immediate response, emphasizing that advertising's primary role is to build memory and future demand, drawing on research from WPP Media and Ehrenberg-Bass. He advocates for emotional, crafted ads without QR codes, citing works like 'The Long and the Short of It' and 'Lemon'.

• CTV QR scan rates in BrightLine's data fell 60% between H1 2025 and Q4 2025 to 0.004%.
• Innovid found only 200 QR scans per 1 million impressions.
• TiVo reported QR code scanning in TV ads fell from 30% in 2022 to 24% in 2024.

Cult Brand Building Key to D2C Coffee Survival

Sian Conway-Wood, who has worked with a D2C specialty coffee roastery, argues that the roast-of-the-month subscription model is flawed, promoting churn and failing to build lasting customer loyalty. She advocates for building a 'cult brand world' with consistent creative elements and content, rather than relying on rotating products and advertising. The case study shows that a tighter product range, a consistent brand narrative featuring 'tiny people' miniature models, and an active social media presence (around 60 posts a month) led to significant growth: subscription revenue grew 187%, organic social traffic up 274%, and direct traffic up 80%, with almost no paid media spend. The article emphasizes that for premium, intangible products like coffee, brand differentiation and pricing power are more critical than physical distribution or advertising spend.

• Subscription revenue grew 187% across the engagement.
• Organic social traffic increased by 274%.
• Direct traffic increased by 80%.