Coming soon… Netflix recently sent its last red DVD envelope, but the streamer’s not ditching physical offerings. Introducing Netflix House. The biz said the venues will feature dining, retail, and entertainment inspired by its top shows and movies. The first two locations are set to open in the US in 2025, and global spots could follow.
⏪: Netflix House will be the streamer’s first brick-and-mortar after years of pop-up experiences in big cities. Recall the Netflix Bites restaurant and ticketed events like “The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.”
⏩: The IRL news comes before Netflix’s earnings tomorrow. Investors expect to hear how the streamer’s password crackdown is panning out.
Scoops Ahoy ice cream… with flavors like Pineapple Upside Down. Netflix’s digital content world is getting physical: the streamer debuted a “Stranger Things” ice cream line at Walmart last month and signed its first gambling deal for a “Squid Game” slot machine heading to casinos next year. Netflix also bought Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theatre to host special events and screenings. Plus, it’s been selling show-themed merch on its e-commerce site since 2021. After seeing fans engage with its IRL offerings, Netflix says it wants to take the experience to the next level with Netflix House.
Experiences last longer than ad impressions… and some analysts say it’s high time Netflix ramped up its experiential marketing. Disney and Universal have been expanding their theme-park experiences (think: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, Super Nintendo World at Universal) to breathe fresh life (and $$) into old IP. Netflix frames its experiences as marketing tools, not revenue drivers, but there could be a bigger franchise opportunity on the horizon.