Good morning,

Netflix is cutting around 6% of its workforce in its biggest round of layoffs since 2022.

"Our mission – to entertain the world – is ambitious, and delivering on it requires us to be disciplined ⁠about where we prioritize our people and resources," wrote co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters in a memo to employees.

Netflix says it’s still on track to hit its full-year forecast, but this is a stark reminder that even the biggest media players are rethinking their org charts.

Meanwhile, Havas follows Publicis Groupe in reporting Q3 earnings, with North America and Uncommon Creative Studio emerging as bright spots. Polymarket is pitching itself to a broader audience ahead of the midterms, with help from Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow. And ADWEEK is coming to Texas A&M 🤠.

Let's go, partner.

Rebecca Stewart, brand editor

Must Reads

1. Netflix Confirms It's Laying Off 6% of Staff

Cuts are coming to Netflix, which is in the process of laying off around 1,000 employees, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reported the news Wednesday.

ADWEEK confirmed the cuts, with a source familiar with the company noting that it is making a number of organizational changes and that the biggest impact was in the product, technology, legal, and HR teams.

2. Havas Grows In North America as It Lags In Other Regions

Christopher Cicchiello reports on Havas' Q3 earnings, writing that while many of its rivals are struggling to grow in North America, the company posted 7.5% year-over-year growth in the region.

CFO François Laroze put the success down to the holdco's creative business, shouting out Uncommon Creative Studio, in which Havas acquired a majority stake in 2023.

Polymarket Taps Kathryn Bigelow to Court a Wider Audience in Midterm Ad Blitz

Following on from Novig's Sydney Sweeney sequel, Polymarket is continuing a big week for the prediction market platforms with its first U.S. political campaign ahead of the midterm elections.

The brand brought on Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, known for The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, to helm two spots in its new national campaign, three weeks before Election Day.

Brittaney Kiefer has more details.

Content-to-Commerce Publishers Have Struggled. Could Outdoor Life Be the Exception?

Mark Stenberg looks at whether Outdoor Life can crack content-to-commerce, a model that has tripped up other publishers.

After being sold by Recurrent Ventures to eFormed Ventures in October, the 128-year-old title is being turned into an AI-powered marketplace, with a new platform designed to personalize product recommendations and build on the $20 million in purchases it drove last year.

Texas A&M and ADWEEK Are Launching a Year-Round Media Platform Together

ADWEEK and Texas A&M have teamed up to launch a year-round media and events partnership called ADWEEK at Texas A&M. The university will become a regular stage for marketing and business leaders, as ADWEEK establishes itself at College Station throughout 2027.

This partnership will also extend to SXSW in Austin, the PGA Championship in Frisco, and Brandweek, ADWEEK’s flagship marketing conference, which moves to Dallas in 2027 following two years in Atlanta.

The Round Up

Halloween is almost here! And brands like Twix and Reese’s are getting spooky, (ADWEEK).
Amid threats of Trump ban, CNN debuts promo touting press freedom, (ADWEEK).
Anthropic tells investors quarterly revenue up nearly 50% to $16.8bn ahead of IPO, (FT).
Square's first standalone kiosk features an AI ordering assistant, (ADWEEK).
Apple’s HomeView ad is confusing to everyone except parents, (The Verge).
Anzu extends beyond games, (Business of Apps).
Agentic AI moves from hype to action, (Brandshare from Treasure AI).
National campaigns meet community moments, (Brandshare from CVS Media Exchange)

Revolving Door

WPP promotes Adam Gerhart to global chief client officer, (ADWEEK).
Vice Media taps Shannon Washington as president of Virtue Worldwide, (MediaPost).
Uncommon co-founder Nils Leonard picked as D&AD president, (D&AD).
MMGY and R&R Partners join forces, (LBB).
Dallas-based LERMA/ is now creative AOR for Real California Milk, (LBB).

One More Thing

Before you go, ADWEEK has revealed the shortlist for the 2026 Experiential Awards. As the internet becomes flooded with AI slop, in-person events and experiences are more important than ever.

Click here to see the agencies and brands maximizing creativity and in-person interaction while delivering on business goals.

Final winners will be published in the December issue of ADWEEK.

Ryan Joe will be back tomorrow.

1. Netflix Confirms It's Laying Off 6% of Staff

2. Havas Grows In North America as It Lags In Other Regions

3. Polymarket Taps Kathryn Bigelow to Court a Wider Audience in Midterm Ad Blitz

4. Content-to-Commerce Publishers Have Struggled. Could Outdoor Life Be the Exception?

5. Texas A&M and ADWEEK Are Launching a Year-Round Media Platform Together