Amazon seems determined to squeeze even more revenue from Prime Video by increasing the number of ads viewers see. According to Ars Technica, the company plans to test how far it can push advertising before Prime Video subscribers start to revolt or even cancel their memberships. In an interview with the Financial Times, Kelly Day, Amazon’s Vice President of Prime Video International, confirmed that more ad slots will be offered to advertisers starting in 2025.
Currently, Prime Video viewers experience between 2 to 3.5 minutes of ads per hour, but Day revealed that the current ad-free experience in the middle of content could change next year. Amazon also plans to introduce “shoppable ads” such as carousel ads, intermission ads, and brand quizzes, all aimed at reaching TV and cinema audiences who are becoming harder to target with traditional ads.
Amazon tried to downplay the impact of these changes, with a spokesperson telling Ars Technica that the company still plans to keep ad volumes lower than traditional TV and other streaming services. However, with Netflix showing success with its ad-supported tier, it seems Amazon is confident enough to push more ads without fearing a significant drop in its 200 million monthly Prime Video viewers.
