"Spoiled 2025": Netflix's biggest marketing failure yet

Exactly one month ago, on Christmas 2025, Netflix released a commercial called "Spoiled 2025." It was aired on live television during an NFL game. Right off the bat the ad states, "Netflix is making room for 2026 by spoiling 2025", then proceeds to montage the VERY ANTICIPATED endings to every single popular series on the app. While it does give you a warning, there's no way to skip a live broadcast. I would consider this ad a major marketing failure, due to the backlash it faced. Youve been warned... 

When I think about current marketing trends, I do understand that shock value is huge. In a fast paced, short form, digitalized world, we see it everywhere. Our attention spans are worn thin, and companies are doing whatever they can to keep us watching. I think TV shows/series are the one form of media we have left that people have the patience for. Can I sit through an entire movie without checking my phone? Rarely. On the other hand, try contacting me while I'm deeply invested in a good series and I might as well be in a remote island. In this case, Netflix used a seemingly universal tactic and failed miserably. 

By not taking their audiences' watch behaviors into account, not thinking long term, and taking the easy way out, Netflix failed us. First of all, who has ever enjoyed a spoiler? Second of all, why keep watching if you know the endings to literally everything? Lastly, I feel like this method was just plain lazy. Instead of getting creative, they just made an iMovie level compilation of straight up rage bait. 

Netflix's value proposition is on demand, high quality, diverse and personalized streaming content. It's definitely one of the most popular streaming platforms there is and has held that place for many, many years now. I suppose their goal with this ad was to spark a little controversy and conversation, but at what cost? The 35+ series they spoiled already had loyal fanbases, and instead of catering to them, they alienated them. With a subscription-based platform, your main goal should be creating return customers and building relationships. 

BigBadJeebus posted on reddit, "Whoever signed off on this s*** needs to be fired immediately."

“Netflix Spoils 2025” NFL ‘Stranger Things’ Ad : r/television

With rising costs and new ridged household rules, as well as the cancellation of many beloved series, Netflix was already on thin ice. After they released this ad, people were so outraged I even saw conversation on TikTok and X around boycotting and cancelling subscriptions with tons of participants.

They had a chance to redeem themselves and fumbled completely, so here's what I would have done. I'm thinking, maybe a montage of the best moments from there most OG series. Nostalgia is massive in the marketing world, and I think pulling the best moments from the best shows that we've all already seen would have made people want to go back and rewatch all our old favorites. Maybe include some cameos of reactions to those moments, I'm thinking couples, families, singles, old people, ect. Real, relatable reactions. Happy and sad moments! This method is a lot more relationship building/subscriber friendly. 

Honestly, the only way to come back from this is to try to use humor. If I was on the social media marketing team, I would propose posting something a little self-deprecating, and little funny that acknowledges the massive failure. That being said, the damage is done. I wonder just how many more betrayals Netflix users will face before they abandon the app completely.