Netflix Partners With GM to Add Electric Vehicles to Popular Shows ‘Where Relevant’

The strategic marketing partnership kicks off with a Will Ferrell-led Super Bowl ad

Netflix General Motors Will Ferrell EV partnership
Netflix and GM

Get ready to see an abundance of General Motors’ electric vehicles popping up in your favorite Netflix programming.

The Detroit automaker and the video-streaming service announced Thursday that a fleet of EVs will be seen in popular Netflix series as part of a “strategic alliance,” and the two companies launched the initiative with a Will Ferrell-starring Super Bowl ad.

In an ad spot during the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, Ferrell will take the wheel of the GM slate of EVs and drive across the worlds of Netflix shows including “Bridgerton” and “Squid Game” as the automaker hopes to speed up customer adoption of electric vehicles.

“Entertainment has a huge impact on culture,” Deborah Wahl, GM Global Chief Marketing Officer, said in a statement. “We want to make EVs famous on streaming, small and silver screens to build an EV car culture through storytelling that incorporates the experiences of driving and owning an EV.”

Wahl continued, saying that “Netflix is a great partner because of the company’s compelling storytelling, commitment to sustainability and track record of sparking conversations that shape cultural trends. We are united in creating a better, more sustainable future for our world as we bring everybody in on EVs.”

Among the popular programming that Netflix will populate with the fleet of new GM EVs are reality series “Love Is Blind” and “Queer Eye” and the Rob Lowe-starring narrative series “Unstable.” The Chevrolet Bolt EUV, GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac LYRIQ will be seen in each show, respectively.  

“GM is a cultural leader in the auto industry and we are proud to partner with them in their efforts by amplifying the presence of electric vehicles in our shows and films,” said Netflix CMO Marian Lee. “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to support the rapid changes taking place in the world around us.

“At Netflix, we create shows and films that can influence culture and spark meaningful conversations,” Lee said. “From the TikTok dance trends inspired by ’Wednesday’ to thoughtful discussions about climate change with ‘Don’t Look Up,’ we know that entertainment can drive fandom and inspire connections. GM is a cultural leader in the auto industry and we are proud to partner with them in their efforts by amplifying the presence of electric vehicles in our shows and films.”

Netflix is also adapting to EV use behind-the-scenes as part of a larger initiative to “become more sustainable behind the camera within its productions by optimizing energy use, then electrifying it, and decarbonizing the rest,” per a release from the streamer.

The latest alliance follows GM’s 2021 “Everybody In” campaign that signaled the company’s intent to rollout electric vehicles for mass consumption. 

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