There wasn’t a single person walking out of the Amazon Upfronts presentation held in Sydney yesterday who wasn’t aware that Amazon Ads was touting its full-funnel opportunities. The messaging was clear, demonstrating Amazon’s capability to drive reach audience across platforms, with continued technical innovation to take full advantage of the possibilities Amazon can offer.
The presentation was kept to a tidy 55 minutes, which was kept lively on stage. Attending the event, I walked away from it with a few key thoughts on the pitch we were delivered.
My top-of-funnel thought…
Amazon is all about the full-funnel
Using words like “innovation” to discuss what Amazon offered the audience is perhaps a bit too full-throated for what buyers and media in the room were being pitched. After all, creating shoppable experiences and pause ads isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel. But where it felt like we were being sold an innovation was in seeing the full-funnel of Amazon’s operation in use.
While pause ads aren’t used by too many streaming services locally, they’re pretty standard on most US platforms nowadays. Where Amazon can really drive results with pause ads is by connecting the experience to the Amazon store. I’m not convinced that if I see a pause ad for batteries next time I’m rewatching Étoile on Prime Video that I’ll likely press the button and order them right then and there on the spot.
More compelling than the pause ads were the interactive video ads that also connect to the Amazon store. These enable viewers/shoppers to use their remote control, mobile devices, or voice command to add an advertised product directly to their shopping cart. Or, as Amazon framed it: “With interactive video ads, brands can connect their upper funnel streaming TV ad campaigns with their lower funnel outcomes, like ‘add to basket’ and product sales.”
Where I think this could have real power is through more advertorial experiences on screen. During the presentation we heard from partner presenters at Unilever who talked about engaging in whole of funnel storytelling opportunities for the Omo brand. It doesn’t take considerable imagination to see how an experience slightly longer than a 15 second spot could get a viewer adding some laundry powder to their cart.
The team from Unilever talking about their Omo campaign
Less is more
The presentation from the Amazon team yesterday was highly professional and well put-together, but it wasn’t overly slick. Certainly, not compared to some other upfronts many of us have attended in recent weeks where everything felt over-rehearsed and over-produced. There was a humanity on stage with the Amazon execs engaging with the audience, acknowledging unexpected moments like an enthusiastic Spider-Man fan in the crowd whooping at a ‘Spider Noir‘ announcement, and generally being real with each other on stage.
Hwei Loke on stage in front of Spider Noir
The overall impression given in the room is that the local team is approachable and are there to help everyone achieve success in using the Amazon “full funnel” experience.
Adding to the less is more vibe was the avoidance of loading up the presentation with too many celebrities. Pat Cummins spent a few minutes on stage talking up Prime Video’s ICC coverage, and then there was the presence of event compere (and Deadloch supporting actor) Nina Oyama, but that was it as far as star power went. The event didn’t really need more than that and it probably would have subtracted from that idea of the local Amazon team are approachable.
Great rocking afterparty vibe
You want to give your guest attendees a great time, so the afterparty/celebratory drinks element of the upfront is crucial to keep the spirits high after buyers and media have spent an hour plus engaging with the brand.
As the presentations finished, music started pumping through into the room. What I hadn’t realised it that this wasn’t a playlisted track – it was a live band in the next room. Adelaide performer Aleksiah and her band were on stage belting out some tracks.
Aleksiah with band
Drinks were flowing, with dumplings and poke bowls there for a post-presentation, pre-dinner treat.
In promoting Prime Video’s new NBL partnership, attendees were also invited to shoot some hoops and have their jump shot analysed. Fun, but not easy to do with a drink in your hand.