Streaming services are preparing to start targeting viewers with product placements, according to a new report.
According to the New York Times, Netflix is already in talks with companies that will enable it to place products on screen that depend on who is watching.
The suggestion is that a viewer known to be a whiskey drinker could see a billboard for a liquor brand in the background of a scene, while a non-drinker watching the same scene might see a billboard for a fizzy water company.
There is also the possibility that brand-name products could be added based on when a show is being watched. So, if you’re watching Stranger Things in the morning you might see a carton of orange juice, but someone watching later in the day would see a can of fizzy drink.
Stephan Beringer, chief executive of Mirriad, a virtual product placement company, said the technology could be in place within the year.
