Plain white billboards declaring that “Netflix is a joke” appeared in New York and Los Angeles Tuesday. The signage is part of a new marketing campaign from the streaming service, Variety has learned — though to what end is unclear.
Netflix representatives declined to comment on the billboards Tuesday.
Social media users in New York and Los Angeles posted photographs on Tuesday of the billboards, which appeared that morning. The billboards were spotted in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York, over the Arco gas station at Olympic and Robertson in Los Angeles, and in other locations.
https://twitter.com/oh_itsRoy/status/905087788927787008
Anyone know what's up with these @netflix is a joke ads up in Hell's Kitchen in NYC? pic.twitter.com/nm1k4LWW8S
— The Laugh Button (@thelaughbutton) September 5, 2017
The Netflix campaign is expected to expand in the weeks ahead, with spots featuring comics such as Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle as well as other Netflix talent, promoting upcoming stand-up specials.
Netflix last month launched a new Instagram account devoted to its comedy programming. The account currently has nine posts, all promoting stand-up comic Seinfeld’s forthcoming stand-up special “Jerry Before Seinfeld,” which premieres Sept. 19 on the streaming service. Netflix has moved aggressively into stand-up comedy, a genre previously dominated by HBO, signing deals in the $11 million-$20 million per special range with comedians such as Seinfeld, Rock, Chappelle, and Amy Schumer.
Last month, Schumer acknowledged via social media that she had asked for and received additional money from Netflix for her upcoming stand-up special after learning that Rock and Chappelle were each making $20 million per special.
