Netflix Launches a Binge-Themed Brand Campaign as the Peter Rice Era Begins

Netflix is going through a period of major change at the top. The streaming giant announced that former Disney executive Peter Rice would take over as the company’s chief content officer, overseeing global content organization, including scripted and unscripted series, film, and live events. Rice joined Netflix on Monday, 26 October 2026, replacing Bela Bajaria, who is leaving the streamer after nearly 10 years of leading its global content team.

The change came at a difficult moment. His appointment came amid slower subscriber growth at Netflix, and the company also let go of head of film Dan Lin and his top lieutenant, Doug Belgrad, as well as director of original series Carolina Garcia. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the change at the top in content came as Netflix’s engagement has not been as strong as it has liked, something that co-CEO Ted Sarandos has talked about publicly.

Now Netflix is turning to its marketing to keep viewers watching. As Netflix prepares to overhaul its film and TV offerings under new content chief Peter Rice, the streaming giant is launching a new brand campaign to try and persuade its users to keep tuning in. The campaign, with the tagline “Find the thing you never knew you needed,” launched Tuesday in the U.S., Canada, Brazil and Spain.

The campaign is built around 3 eye-catching short films. The spots are titled “Hypersleep,” “Axolotl” and “Dawn,” and were made by Netflix’s in-house Brand Creative Studio with the agency Mother. The campaign was directed by Iconoclast’s Vania & Muggia.

Each spot takes a familiar fan habit to a ridiculous extreme. In “Axolotl,” a tiny amphibian becomes the accidental savior of his fish tank by keeping a Bridgerton marathon running. “Hypersleep” follows a lonely astronaut who awakens a crewmate from cryosleep for the sole purpose of talking about K-pop Demon Hunters. The third spot rounds out the trio with a vampire, which, according to DesignRush, borrows from classic horror films.

Nothing like a mistletoe rodeo kiss cam to kick the "fake dating" trope into high gear. GUARDING STARS premieres in ONE WEEK. https://t.co/IHGrlbF2yT

— Netflix (@netflix) November 11, 2026

Netflix also put real craft into the visuals. All three were shot on 35mm, with a different aspect ratio for each world: widescreen for “Axolotl,” anamorphic for “Hypersleep,” and 4:3 for “Dawn.” Each set was also built from scratch over several weeks.

That analog approach seems deliberate. The campaign’s use of analog film is part of a recent trend that has seen advertisers looking to run counter to the rise of artificial intelligence.

A toast to Emily Cooper 🥂 The final season of Emily in Paris premieres DECEMBER 24. https://t.co/ocPW4eSEaw

— Netflix (@netflix) November 11, 2026

Aarti Thiagarajan, senior director of brand creative studio for Netflix, explained the idea behind the push. “We wanted to celebrate that moment when you get hooked,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. The team started with the things real fans do, like staying up for one more episode or blowing up the group chat about a new obsession.

Netflix is pairing the ads with a social component. The streamer is also launching a social series called Typecast, featuring creators Willy Chavarria, Teezo Touchdown, Isamaya Ffrench and The Compton Cowboys discussing their favorite Netflix shows. “Typecast” will run in the U.S. from Nov. 10-13 on the brand’s social channels and its companion website, Tudum.

All eyes on MISTY GREEN. Now on Netflix in the US. Starring Rosalind Eleazar. Written and directed by Chris Rock. https://t.co/gTPHSBSmB1

— Netflix (@netflix) November 9, 2026

The timing is no coincidence. The campaign comes as company executives continue to put an emphasis on value and engagement following price hikes and lower projected ad revenue. Netflix is at an inflection point with its content, with Rice expected to reset its strategy and focus more on the U.S.-Canada market.

Netflix is also changing how subscribers find things to watch. Roughly a week ago, the streamer began testing “AI Discover,” a section inside its TV app that leans on AI-generated themes to steer members toward content.

The campaign launched in the US, Canada, Brazil and Spain, with more countries to follow. A clever ad can grab attention, but the real test will be whether the new lineup under Rice gives viewers more reasons to stick around.

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