Amazon Prime Video Ads: The Next Big Advertising Channel?

Amazon’s advertising ecosystem has expanded rapidly in recent years, evolving far beyond Sponsored Products and search-led formats. 

With ads now on Amazon Prime Video, the platform is becoming a serious player in video advertising, combining entertainment, shopping, and data in a way few competitors can match.

For brands already investing in Amazon, this shift presents a new opportunity to influence consumers earlier in their journey, not just at the point of purchase.

Amazon’s Advertising Expansion

Amazon’s ad business has become one of the fastest growing segments within the company. 

According to Amazon, advertising generated over $50 billion globally in 2025, with continued growth driven by increased demand for full-funnel solutions (Amazon, 2026).

Traditionally, Amazon has dominated lower-funnel performance marketing, capturing demand from users actively searching for products. However, the introduction of video inventory across its ecosystem signals a strategic move into upper-funnel brand building.

Prime Video ads are a key part of this shift of expansion. By placing ads within streaming content, Amazon is combining the reach of TV ads with the targeting you’d expect from digital.

Video Ads Within Prime Video

Since early 2024, Amazon has introduced limited ads into Prime Video content for standard subscribers, with an option to pay extra for an ad-free experience. 

This shift has unlocked premium, high-attention inventory for advertisers.

What makes Prime Video particularly strong is the combination of its audience scale and the depth of data behind it. 

With over 200 million global Prime members (Amazon, 2025), Amazon can offer advertisers access to a vast audience combined with first-party shopping and behavioural data.

Unlike traditional streaming platforms, Amazon can connect ad exposure directly to consumer actions. This includes things like product searches, page views, and purchases.

That level of closed-loop measurement is a significant differentiator in a market where attribution is often fragmented.

Industry insights show that advertisers are increasingly focused on video environments that combine high-quality content with clear, measurable performance (Think with Google, 2025). This strengthens Amazon’s position as a leading advertising platform.

Why Brands Should Care

For brands, Prime Video ads go beyond standard awareness, it offers a bridge between brand storytelling and performance marketing.

Firstly, the environment itself is high quality because ads are shown within professionally produced content. This allows brands to improve perception and engagement, compared to standard display formats.

Secondly, Amazon’s data also allows for more precise targeting. It allows brands to reach audiences based on shopping behaviour, what they’re interested in, and what they’ve bought before, which makes campaigns feel more relevant and effective.

Finally, the integration with Amazon’s wider ecosystem creates a clear path to conversion. A user might see a video ad while streaming, search for the product later, and convert within the same platform. This reduces friction and improves overall campaign efficiency.

Industry analysis from Google (2026) shows that retail media networks, especially Amazon, are taking more budget from TV and social because they can prove ROI.

The Strategic Opportunity

As competition within Amazon searches grows, it’s getting harder to rely only on lower-funnel ads. The fact that costs are rising means that standing out is becoming a lot harder to achieve.

Prime Video ads offer a way to build brand equity earlier in the customer journey, influencing consideration before users even begin searching. For enterprise brands, this can be a critical lever for long-term growth.

However, success requires a strategic approach and isn’t just a case of switching ads on. Creative quality, audience targeting, and how campaigns integrate with your wider Amazon activity all play a role in driving results.

Final Thoughts

Amazon Prime Video ads mark a broader shift in how Amazon is positioning itself within the advertising landscape.

For brands willing to adapt, the opportunity is clear: combine the storytelling power of video with the performance capabilities of one of the world’s most advanced commerce platforms.

Looking to explore how Prime Video fits into your Amazon strategy? Get in touch for a tailored consultation.

You can email us at amazon@marketrocket.co.uk or call 02037459090.