Netflix House is more than a brand-building exercise, and its shows. It’s also a way of giving fans moments to engage with worlds and characters they love year-round, said Simon.
Of course, the more these experiences engage fans, the more they can drive buzz and viewership, bolstering Netflix’s 282.7 million global subscriber base.
“Revenue is obviously another important measure,” Simon continued. “We work with retail partners and we put these products on shelves around the world, obviously they’re interested in [revenue] and we are too.”
Simon, who leads teams in the U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, declined to confirm how much the consumer goods division has grown over the last 12 months, share or any specific financials. However, he said product partnerships have been generating “decent revenue” for all parties involved.
Worldbuilding off-screen
Merch and licensing launched in the last year have included careful collaborations with handpicked retailers. Recently, brands like Crocs, Johnnie Walker, and Puma released products themed around the impending second season of the Korean-language thriller Squid Game.
Stranger Things has also collaborated with Pandora on a jewelry collection designed by fans featuring glow-in-the-dark charms. Elsewhere, British shoe brand Clarks Originals launched five pairs of shoes that take inspiration from the show’s locations, characters, and events ahead of its fifth run.
Over the past two years, under CMO Marian Lee, Netflix has moved its $2.5 billion ad spend away from platform-centric campaigns and toward work rooted in championing the brand’s shows and their cultural clout. This has spilled out into the real world via “the Netflix effect,” where shows like Bridgerton and The Queen’s Gambit are driving consumer purchases.
Leaning into this, Netflix has also brought fictional products and brands from its series to supermarket shelves, including Scoops Ahoy, a homage to Stranger Things’ nautical-themed ice cream parlor.