> Ads implies someone was paying for them.

It doesn't to me.

By my understanding of the term, Netflix can most definitely advertise Netflix shows on its own platform, a flyer that a barber hangs on a public bulletin board is an advertisement, and the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile is advertising hotdogs when it drives through my town. Do you not consider these things to be advertisements?

I pretty much agree with what https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/advertisement says.