New proprietary data from TripleLift reveals that advertisers began budgeting for Amazon’s flagship sales event two weeks early, shifted most of their spend to curated inventory, and saw video outperform display in deal intensity.
Amazon’s annual Prime Day has long been a barometer for retail‑centric advertising, but the latest numbers released by programmatic supply‑side platform TripleLift suggest the event is evolving into a broader media moment. The firm examined global advertiser activity recorded through Amazon DSP (ADSP) over a 25‑day span that covered the two‑week pre‑event lead‑in, the four‑day sale window, and the immediate post‑event period. The findings paint a picture of brands treating Prime Day like a planned campaign rather than a spontaneous flash sale.
A Record‑Setting Growth Curve
Across the globe, ad spend tied to Prime Day climbed 45.2 % compared with the same period in 2025. This is more than a modest uptick; it signals that advertisers collectively placed the shopping holiday into their annual media calendars. “Prime Day used to be something advertisers reacted to. Now they build toward it,” said Taylor Stewart, Vice President of Growth & Emerging Channels at TripleLift.
The data also show that the surge was not confined to the event days themselves. The two‑week lead‑in period recorded an average daily spend 19.6 % higher than the baseline, indicating that brands were allocating budget well before the official kickoff. By the final days of the lead‑in, daily spend rose to between 31 % and 38 % above the baseline, underscoring a disciplined, forward‑looking approach.
When the sale officially began, spend jumped 79.9 % overnight into Day 1, a spike that resembles a pre‑planned launch rather than a reactive response to price cuts. Over the four‑day window, nearly one‑third of the total 25‑day spend was concentrated, with the highest spend on Day 3 followed by a gradual wind‑down—a spend curve more typical of a structured media plan than a burst of opportunistic buying.
Private Marketplace Deals Take Center Stage
One of the most striking shifts highlighted by the report is the increasing reliance on private marketplace (PMP) deals. As the event progressed toward its peak, advertisers moved progressively away from open‑auction inventory, opting instead for curated deals that offered greater control over placement and brand safety. By the final day of Prime Day, PMP activity had reached its apex, making TripleLift’s private inventory markedly more valuable.
The trend is especially pronounced in sectors where brand safety and high‑quality inventory are paramount. Travel, computing, and the broader “industries” category allocated 63.4 %, 57.4 %, and 56.1 % of their Prime Day spend, respectively, to PMP deals—well above the overall event average of 29.8 %. Even fast‑moving consumer goods (CPG) brands leaned heavily on private deals, dedicating 46.1 % of their spend to PMP. These figures suggest that advertisers are no longer hedging their bets; they are deliberately choosing curated environments for high‑stakes exposure.
Video Outpaces Display in Deal Intensity
Online video (OLV) accounted for 39.4 % of total Prime Day spend, but its share of private‑deal voice was nearly eight points higher than the event average. This disparity flipped the traditional hierarchy between video and display in terms of deal spend, indicating that video buyers are willing to pay a premium for guaranteed, high‑quality placements. The willingness to secure private deals for video inventory reinforces the notion that premium video is a strategic asset during peak shopping moments.
Beyond the Shopping Cart: A Diversified Spend Mix
While “shopping” categories—style & fashion, technology & computing, home & garden, food & drink, and medical health—collectively contributed 38.8 % of total spend, the remaining 61.2 % came from a mix of lifestyle, health, finance, and B2B verticals. Notably, style & fashion alone represented 10.6 % of spend, while technology & computing captured 8.2 %. These numbers confirm that Prime Day is no longer a retail‑only playground; it has become a consumer‑attention platform that brands across the spectrum are learning to leverage.
What the Numbers Mean for the Industry
The shift from open‑auction spikes to curated, private deals marks a maturation of the offsite commerce media ecosystem. Advertisers appear to be moving away from “fire‑hose” buying in favor of more disciplined, outcome‑driven planning. This evolution aligns with broader programmatic trends where brand safety, viewability, and inventory quality have become decisive factors in media buying decisions.
Taylor Stewart’s comments reinforce this narrative: “What we saw this year wasn’t a spike—it was structured. Brands started two weeks early, held their budgets for the event days that mattered most, and leaned into private deals when the pressure was highest. That’s not opportunistic spending. That’s media planning.” Stewart adds that the most engaged advertisers are already translating insights from Prime Day into strategic plans for the remainder of the year, indicating a longer‑term shift in how commerce‑driven media moments are approached.
Implications for Advertisers and Platforms
For agencies and in‑house teams, the data suggest that early budget allocation and a focus on private inventory can yield more predictable outcomes during high‑traffic events. The pronounced success of video in private deals also points to an opportunity for brands to pair compelling creative with guaranteed placement, potentially boosting engagement metrics.
From a platform perspective, the rising demand for PMP inventory during marquee events like Prime Day could incentivize supply‑side partners to expand their private‑deal offerings and refine the quality signals that attract premium spend. As advertisers continue to prioritize curated environments, the competitive landscape may see a consolidation around platforms that can guarantee brand‑safe, high‑performing inventory at scale.
Looking Ahead
Prime Day 2026 serves as a case study in how commerce‑centric media moments are transitioning from reactive flash sales to orchestrated, multi‑channel campaigns. The 45 % YoY growth, early budgeting, and strong tilt toward private deals all indicate that advertisers now view the event as a staple in their annual media mix, rather than a one‑off opportunity.
As the industry continues to blend retail and media, the lessons from this data set could influence how brands plan for other high‑visibility shopping events, from Black Friday to seasonal promotions. The emphasis on quality over volume, especially in video, may also reshape inventory pricing models and drive further innovation in programmatic buying tools.
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