Walmart and Peacock team up on shoppable CTV ads

The idea of shoppable TV has been around for a very long time. The oft-cited example in the early days was the ability to immediately buy the sweater that Jennifer Aniston was wearing during an episode of Friends. At the time, the technology just wasn’t available at scale. But now as TV consumption continues to shift to internet-powered streaming (and most people are watching with a smartphone nearby), interactivity and commerce become much easier and more realistic.

NBCU announced “MustShopTV” back in February, and we’re now seeing a major retailer take advantage of the platform. Basically, AI will monitor what’s going on in a particular show, search for similar Walmart products that map to what’s on the screen, and present those products in an interactive carousel during ad breaks.

“For so long, viewers had to take the hard route, scouring the internet to find a product like what they saw their favorite icons or creators use in-show,” said Josh Feldman, global chief marketing officer, advertising and partnerships at NBCU, in a statement. “Now, through the power of ‘Must ShopTV,’ and with Walmart as our launch partner, Bravo fans can get even closer to the content they love by discovering the brands that are already part of the story.”

NBCU first announced its “Must ShopTV” product at its One23 tech conference in February. Although Walmart is the initial partner for its AI-fueled ad products, using technology from Kerv Interactive and Brightline, Peacock has been experimenting with shoppable QR codes in shows such as “Love Island,” and on-screen checkout through Comcast’s Xfinity, over the past few years. 

Full story at AdAge.