As the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicks off in Las Vegas this week in January 2026, Amazon is making its latest move in a calculated campaign to become the undisputed powerhouse of streaming video advertising.
While flashy gadgets grab headlines, Amazon's ad executives are holding private meetings with major streaming players, pitching enhanced tools to reach live viewers through its Amazon DSP (demand-side platform).
This isn't about reinventing content creation — Amazon knows the real money lies in monetizing eyeballs through targeted ads. Vice President of Global Ads Alan Moss has openly stated the ambition: to become the "everything store" for advertising, delivering spots to 90% of U.S. households.
The strategy is paying off. Over the past year, Amazon has forged programmatic partnerships with streaming giants including Disney, Roku, and Netflix, allowing advertisers to buy inventory across these platforms via Amazon's ecosystem. These deals give brands seamless access to premium content on Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, The Roku Channel, and Netflix's ad-supported tier — often with Amazon's unparalleled first-party data for targeting.
At CES, the focus is on live events, a goldmine for advertisers craving simultaneous audiences. With Prime Video's exclusive NFL Thursday Night Football, expanding NBA rights, and upcoming Olympics inventory, Amazon is positioning itself as the gateway for high-impact sports ads. Live sports streaming is exploding, with single events generating hundreds of millions in ad revenue per broadcast.
Global ad spend is forecast to grow 7.1% in 2026, fueled by AI innovations and economic recovery. Amazon, already a retail media behemoth with projections nearing $70 billion in ad revenue this year (excluding owned properties like Prime Video), is quietly capturing a massive share — especially in connected TV (CTV) and streaming.
No blockbuster like The Rings of Power can match the cash flow from Super Bowl spots, baseball halftime promos, or shoppable ads during live games. Amazon's expansion turns competitors' inventory into its own profit engine, all while leveraging trillions of shopping and streaming signals for precision.
In the streaming ad wars, Amazon isn't charging in with fanfare — it's the elephant in the room, steadily expanding until it owns the space. This CES push is just another incremental step toward total dominance.
Also read:
- The Hidden Depths of Coca-Cola's Santa Claus: More Than Just a Holiday Mascot
- Champagne and the Stroke of Midnight: How Moët & Chandon Engineered a Global New Year's Ritual
- GPU Prices Set to Skyrocket in 2026: The Memory Crisis Driven by AI Demand
Thank you!
