Viewers want a quick way to buy the products they see in commercials through their TVs, according to a new study from LG Ad Solutions.

In its Shoppable TV Report: 2024 and Beyond, LG said 53% of connected TV viewers
had a quick option to buy advertised products and 63% said they wished they could see inventory from the store or brand from their TV.

With the proliferation of smart TV and streaming, TV platforms and advertisers are zeroing in on T-commerce as an extension of their advertising efforts. 

“Most CTV users envision and desire a TV experience that enables them to easily purchase the products advertised to them,” LG Ad Solutions chief marketing officer Tony Marlow said. “The future of television is shaping up to be an immersive canvas of personalized, interactive experiences. We are entering an era where TV is not just a device for passive viewing, but also a dynamic platform for engagement, interaction, and shopping.”

According the survey, 81% of CTV users are influenced by TV ads in their shopping decisions and 63% often discover new brands and products through TV ads. 

Additionally, 47% have made a purchase after seeing a TV ad in the past three months. Of those consumers, most (56%) completed a purchase using their mobile phone, followed by laptop/desktop (45%), in-store (31%), tablets (31%) and on CTV (29%).

The LG report said that about 70% of viewers like TV ads that include a QR code, with 38% likely to make a purchase after scanning a QR code on a TV ad. Scanning a QR code to get a discount was something that appealed to 49% of those surveyed.

Viewers said they were most likely to buy clothing, apparel or electronics through the TV. 

The study, released surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. consumers to determine their perceptions of shoppable TV advertisements and subsequent purchasing behavior, LG said.

NBCUniversal is finding new ways to help fans of the The Real Housewives or Below Deck buy things, both virtually and in real life at the upcoming BravoCon.

The Bravo Bazaar will feature more than 60 brands. BravoCon attendees, in addition to being able to meet their favorite Bravolebrites, will be able to purchase Bravo-approved products and services from brands including Lashaholics, Literie Candles, and Verishop brands as well as Bravolebrity-owned businesses like Sewing Down South, LoverBoy, and CaraGala.

In the metaverse, the Bravo Bazaar returns with content made shoppable by NBCU's commerce capabilities.

"NBCUniversal has a keen pulse on the wants and needs of the Bravo fandom," said Evan Moore, senior VP, commerce partnerships, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships. "By embedding shoppable experiences within key moments where fans are living out the Bravo life – whether it's at BravoCon, online  across our properties, or in the metaverse with the enhanced Bravo Bazaar - we can drive genuine connection and impact for our partners that transcend the screen and the shows."

At BravoCon, attendees won't need to be slowed down after shopping sprees. With NBCUniversal Checkout, in real life buyers will be able to scan the shoppable QR code on display, complete their purchase and provide delivery info and the goods will find their own way home.

TRESemmé, one of the key sponsors of BravoCon, will be presenting an in-person Bravo Salon presented by TRESemmé, where BravoCon attendees can get their hair styled with TRESemmé products to achieve the Bravolebrity look.

The BravoCon Salon is also accessible on screen with shoppable content.

"BravoCon attendees will get the ultimate experience using TRESemmé products to achieve Bravolebrity-styled hair at the onsite salon," Jessica Grigoriou, head of beauty marketing and Salon & Masstige portfolio director, TRESemmé. "We're excited to extend these shoppable experiences to Bravo fans around the world using QR code technology on-site within the salon and on-air utilizing a Live Look In on Bravo and a branded bar on Watch What Happens Live."

BravoCon will take place over three days, from October 14 to 16. There are 60 events scheduled, including panels, photo ops and show tapings, and more than 100 Bravolebs are expected to show up.

NBCU has also signed up Bud Light Seltzer, Lays and State Farm as presenting sponsors. Additional sponsors include Alle, Bubly, Chase Sapphire, Hilton, Pepsi, Pure Leaf tea, Shark FlexStyle, Wendy's and Yoplait. ■

Walmart said it is expanding Walmart Connect, which works on home shopping with advertisers and media platforms and has data on consumer behavior.

Partners including Roku, TikTok, Snap, Firework and TalkShopLive will work with Walmart Connect as innovation partners that will test and learn new ways to reach consumers via social media, entertainment, t-commerce and live streaming during the holiday season.

Retailers, including Target and Kroger, work with advertisers and media companies to help measure the impact of advertising and marketing programs 

Also: GroupM Sees Fast Growth in E-Commerce, Retail Media

“Together, we will work with each partner to more deeply connect advertisers with customers throughout key moments in the shopper journey in order to provide the best solutions for advertisers,” said Seth Dallaire, executive VP and chief revenue officer of Walmart U.S. in a blog post.

Walmart in June announced enabling streamers to purchase featured products fulfilled by Walmart directly on Roku.

Also: NewFronts: Roku Makes A Splash With Martha, Microsoft

The shopping experience will be funded by advertisers through Walmart Connect and Roku Advertising, the companies said. Walmart Connect will connect brands to customers through the t-commerce platform on Roku. Advertisers will receive insights on effectiveness with Walmart Connect measurement.

“Our partnerships further underscore how Walmart Connect is committed to evolving our business and expanding our offerings to actively stay ahead of what advertisers need,” Dallaire said. “There is no other platform that can extend to new formats where customers are engaging and interacting, and leverage Walmart’s unparalleled first party omnichannel data to deliver measurable sales performance. We are excited to test, learn and iterate on what drives performance for advertisers as we continue to break new ground with our partners.”  ■

Streaming is at an all-time high and viewers can’t get enough. Instead of just talking about the latest things we’re watching and how we wish we could travel or have what we see on TV, it’s now easier than ever to bring these coveted things from the screen to life in our real lives. Whether it’s wearing the white slip-on Vans from Squid Game, easily booking the honeymoon suite from White Lotus or snagging the latest baking gadgets from The Great British Bakeoff, the opportunities for content to commerce are endless for content creators, retailers and brands. Here are some key tips and tricks for content to commerce done right. 

Partner to Increase Customer Loyalty

With so many options for consumers to get things delivered to their doorstep, it’s now more important than ever for retailers to provide unique differentiators to keep customers loyal. Walmart’s new partnership with Netflix does just this. Shoppers don’t need to search the competition or niche sites to find branded goods; they can easily shop them in one transaction, while also handling their regular fill-in or stock-up needs. Where a marketplace like Amazon advances is by having all of the data related to what the shopper watches and what items they like to buy in one place, allowing them to truly target the shopper with personalized recommendations as they move throughout their journey within the Amazon ecosystem. Seek out partnerships that can create a more frictionless experience and fill gaps that your current offering cannot. 

Build Seamless Shopping Moments

The days of “regular” product placement and hoping it works are over. Now, content creators, retailers and brands must strategically develop monetization strategies that will motivate buyers. This isn’t new — Target was creating owned and partner shoppable content all the way back in 2014 for sitcom Cougar Town. It was great and a step in the right direction, but today’s tech enables a more seamless and targeted experience, where a purchase can be made in just a few clicks. Content creators aren’t limited to shows: As a brand, branded merchandise or access to special events are gold. With all of the consumer data available, loyal shoppers and superfans should be rewarded with first access. Work with a strategic partner to find content that fits with your established brand voice to create organic moments with ease. 

Recognize the Micro Moments 

Agility is key. While brands plan against key launches, holidays and macro moments, they also need to allow for flexibility to activate against micro moments — those unanticipated spikes in popularity that brands have not laid out in their marketing plans, like chess sets selling out in the wake of The Queen’s Gambit binge-watching. Brands must move quickly to capitalize on opportunities and ensure their supply chain is set up to deliver. Selling out on digital drop platforms that are meant to create a frenzy makes sense; selling out at a big retailer creates negative sentiment and customer frustration. Make sure your company has an agile “newsroom” approach to manage micro moments and potential booms in specific products or lines based on cultural trends.

Get Creative with Unlikely Pairings

Yes, pizza and Coca-Cola go together with Netflix, but what about Peloton and face masks? (Or heating pads for some of us!) What are the trends? What are people talking about or searching online? It can give you new ideas for partnerships that can open-up pathways to new consumers and channels (think store within a store, bundles, media placement in new places). One example is when Campbell’s partnered with Hallmark Channel to create “Joy Night In,” with activations spanning passive watching and active shopping moments, including a partnership with Walmart as well as a unique holiday programming guide, recipes, games and more.

Leverage CTV Commerce Solutions

There are a host of new inventory solutions that hold promise for marketers. In-program shopping allows products to contextually align with specific network programming and is directly integrated into streaming and linear content. Interactive/shoppable ads offer interactive or shoppable capabilities within standard ad pods. Native interactive ads are built into the connected device or CTV app experience and typically offer the ability to click into video or full-screen ads with further details. And of course live streaming commerce is on the rise and provides a live streaming channel or programming dedicated to product promotion — similar to HSN or QVC. These solutions are all readily available and can be accessed via networks, ad tech partners, streaming providers and electronics manufacturers, depending on the solution. Seek out the right partners to help build the right shopping experience for your audience.

Content-to-commerce activities will continue to grow and as technologies are fine-tuned, the experience will only become more seamless and targeted. Consumers are waiting to be intrigued. Capture them and delight them with the right item at the right moment. They love to feel special, so reward loyalty. Stay agile: seek opportunities and partnerships, but ensure you’re prepared. Find the right tech solutions and partners to take your commerce experiences to the next level. Tune in and watch your sales turn up! 

NBCUniversal said it is launching a livestream shopping show on social media as it expands its commerce business ahead of the holiday season.

Fans of NBCU’s Bravo network can also shop for items at a new virtual Bravo Bazaar.

NBCU has been making an effort to extend its advertising technology from promoting items to handling sales.

Also: NBCU Unleashes More New Commercial Formats

“At Comcast NBCUniversal, we’re embracing global commerce trends like livestream shopping and consumer technology in a way that only we can, tapping into our scaled distribution and leveraging the creative, commerce and partnership expertise that have differentiated us in the market for a century,” said Josh Feldman, chief marketing officer, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships. “Across our platform, audiences come to us to be informed and entertained and now through our commerce capabilities, they will also be inspired to buy.”

NBCU showed off its new commerce efforts at a live event Tuesday.

The company’s NBCUniversal Checkout is the backbone of Impulse Try with Remi Bader, an interactive livestream shopping show series that will stream over the Thanksgiving weekend, starting on Black Friday.

Also: NBCU Readies for Holiday Commerce with PayPal Deal

Episodes of Impulse Try will be live at 3 p.m. ET on @BravoTV on Instagram, and at 4 p.m. ET on Bravo’s Facebook page and on parent company Comcast’s X1 and Flex platforms. The show will also be available a day later on on Peacock and the NBC App.

Bader — a “curve model,” according to NBCU — will have Bravo personalities Meredith Marks, Anisha Ramakrishna, Reza Farahan, Whitney Rose, Dr. Wendy Osefo, Jill Zarin, Adore Me and Wayfair on her show.

“Inclusivity, body neutrality and vulnerability are at the core of all the content I create, and I’m beyond excited to collaborate with NBCUniversal and its partners to bring these messages to our audiences,” Bader said. “With Impulse Try, we’re highlighting the brands, the products and the icons who are making it possible for everyone — no matter their shape, size or style — to feel amazing in their own skin, without compromising or changing who they are. I can’t wait for our fans to tune in and shop with me.”

NBCU launched a Virtual Bravo Bazaar Tuesday, working with Obsess, a virtual store platform.

The bazaar is an artificial reality-driven interactive shopping site for fans of the networks and brands they’re familiar with from their favorite shows, including Below Deck, Southern Charm, Summer House, Family Karma and the Real Housewives franchise.

Layer3 TV, the Denver-based MVPD, has launched Shop by Remote, an interactive TV app from HSN.

They said the new capability lets Layer3 TV customers browse for and buy HSN products with the remote control. Those customers can choose size, color and quantity from more than 40,000 items that’s available on the app.

Layer3 TV customers can pay by remote using the credit card they have on file with their HSN account. Layer3 TV has more detail about that app posted here. 

Per HSN’s web site, several other MVPDs and co-ops support HSN’s Shop by Remote app, including AT&T/U-verse, Blue Ridge Communications, Comcast, Optimum (Altice USA), Hawaiian Telecom, Verizon, and the Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative, among others.

Layer3 TV said the Shop by Remote app joins other apps that have been integrated on its set-top box platform, including Xumo, iHeartRadio, Pandora and YouTube.

RELATED: Layer3 TV Expands OTT Slate With Xumo

Layer3 TV is available in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Denver (Longmont), and has plans to launch in New York. It has not announced subscriber numbers. 

Delivery Agent, the electronic commerce company that works with several TV programmers and made Katy Perry’s Super Bowl XLIX halftime show in 2015 “shoppable,” announced Thursday (September 15) that it had filed voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is seeking a sale.

San Francisco-based Delivery Agent filed for voluntary Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, and announced it has obtained a commitment for debtor in possession financing that will, if approved by the court, will provide the Company with the necessary liquidity to maintain normal business operations during the Chapter 11 process.

The Wall Street Journal said the filing comes after Delivery Agent’s plans for an IPO failed, and that it hopes to clear more than $65 million in unsecured debt, noting that it had $20 million in unpaid bills after shutting down a Denver-based agency called The Band that serves as a sales representative for cable operators and satellite providers.

Delivery Agent said it will be soliciting competitive bids “with the goal of maximizing value for all stakeholders,” adding that the sale process is on a “fast track” that is aiming for completion by year-end.

Company founder and CEO Mike Fitzsimmons characterized this as “a very positive development for our company and our customers…Through these proceedings we’re initiating a process that preserves company value, allows the company to reorganize its business affairs, and establishes a necessary foundation for future growth and profitability."

RELATED: Delivery Agent Embeds ShopTV with Sony

“We will continue to deliver outstanding services to our partners today, throughout the Q4 holiday season, and beyond,” he added.

From the TV world, Delivery Agent’s list of clients include Discovery, NBCU, Fox, CBS, HBO, Showtime, CBS, FX, Turner, Comcast, Cablevision Systems, AT&T, and Verizon, among others, along with studios such as Lionsgate, Legendary, and Sony Pictures.

RELATED: Delivery Agent Helps Discovery Sell ‘Shark Week’ Merchandise

Per documentation tied to the filing, related debtors include Clean Fun Promotional Marketing, MusicToday LLC, and Shop the Shows LLC.

Matthew English, CTP and Howard Bailey, CTP of Arch + Beam are serving as the company’s financial advisors; Keller & Benvenutti LLP and Pachulski, Stang, Ziehl & Jones LLP are serving as legal advisors; and Houlihan Lokey is the Company’s investment banker.

HSN’s Shop By Remote app will become the first interactive shopping network app to appear on Amazon Fire TV devices in the U.S.

The app allows users to buy more than 50,000 products and watch live HSN programming and on-demand product demonstrations.

“We are pleased to add Amazon Fire TV to the roster of partners offering HSN’s Shop By Remote app,” said Peter Ruben, executive VP, affiliate relations for HSN. “This is an important step in our effort to advance the practice of ‘boundary-less retail’ whereby consumers can watch HSN programming and shop.”

The HSN app is also available on Apple TV, Roku, TiVo, Google Play, Comcast Optimum, FiOS, Verizon and other platforms.

Read more at B&C. 

Liberty Global Ventures has joined Volta Ventures in leading a €2 million (US$2.24 million) series A funding round in LookLive, a startup focused on advanced, contextual advertising that has developed a platform/widget that identifies items in TV shows that can be purchased by viewers.  

LookLive’s sales platform is currently in beta mode, but examples of items consumers can buy include a sweatshirt David Beckham wore in an H&M commercial, or the Hugo Boss suit worth by Spencer Strasmore, the character played by Dwayne Johnson in the HBO original series Ballers, a tie worn by Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) in Netflix’s House of Cards, or an ensemble worn by Taylor Swift in the music video for “Bad Blood.”

LookLive said its cloud-based platform uses “machine learning” to identify products, including apparel, shoes, and accessories, in TV shows and digital images. It expects to expand into areas such as music, furniture, and automobiles. Products are sold via a widget that can be integrated with partners' digital platforms

Amsterdam-based LookLive said it will use the fresh funds to accelerate its platform development and to expand partnerships with broadcast and consumer brands.

LookLive, which has built a proprietary artificial intelligence software called “Kitt” that uses Semantic Web Graph technology, notes in its FAQ that the company does not partner with any of the producers or costume designers to identify wardrobe items. But it has developed commercial offerings for content producers, OTT providers, cable operators, brands and online retailers.

More detail on LookLive’s approach can be seen in the video demo below:

“We’re excited about the LookLive Platform and what it brings to the online viewing experience,” Christopher Archer, LookLive’s CEO and a former online sales marketing exec at Liberty Global,  said in a statement. “From being able to shop characters’ wardrobes in your favorite TV shows, to helping advertisers deliver more effective messages, this new funding will help expand our offerings.”

“Working with best-in-class start-ups such as Looklive helps Liberty Global keep on top of the most innovative new ideas in the market while offering partners the scale and benefits of our expertise as a long-standing international TV platform operator,” added John Paul, managing director, advanced advertising and data at Liberty Global. “Data and advanced forms of advertising support a fundamental part of Liberty Global’s strategy and we look forward to developing and nurturing our relationship with Looklive to create new revenue streams.” 

Delivery Agent said it has again hooked up with Discovery Channel on a campaign that enables the programmer to sell “Shark Week” merchandise to viewers via Twitter, Samsung smart TVs and other connected devices.

During the one-week campaign, which got underway Sunday (June 5), a new item and a new deal will become available through Delivery Agent’s platform. Delivery Agent, for example, said it is offering exclusive Shark Week merchandise, including apparel and accessories, via Twitter’s “Buy Now” component. The Shark Week Twitter handle (@SharkWeek) has more than 256,000 followers.

This also marks the second consecutive year that Delivery Agent has shop-enabled Shark Week on connected TVs, the companies said, noting that last year’s TV-commerce campaign yielded a 2% engagement rate, with 91% of viewers who forwarded a shopping link to their mobile device clicking through to the official Shark Week online store. For this week’s campaign, viewers watching on Samsung connected TVs can start the purchasing process when an interactive overlay appears adjacent to the programming.  Upon selecting those interactive elements, viewers will receive a Web-based shopping link to mobile devices, where they can complete their purchases.

The Shark Week block has historically been a ratings winner for Discovery Channel.  Last August, the programming tilt broke records, earning the highest ratings ever for Discovery among total viewers and women ages 25-54, as well as women ages 18-49.

“Shark Week, which shows no signs of slowing down, has become a multimedia phenomenon. Fans are watching and engaging with the show through a multitude of platforms and devices,” Christine Wacker, director of commerce partnerships and consumer products, Discovery Channel, said in a statement. “As we developed our e-commerce strategy, it was only natural for us to bring the brand directly to our fans and allow them to activate through all of Delivery Agent’s commerce enabled consumer touch points - from social to mobile to television.”

“The team at Discovery has always been forward thinking as evidenced by their early insight into the value of combining commerce capabilities with TV programming,” added Delivery Agent CEO Mike Fitzsimmons.  “Our integration with leading social, mobile and television platforms provides Discovery with an omni-screen commerce experience that aligns with where and how their fans are engaging with content.”

Delivery Agent, the electronic commerce company that made Katy Perry’s Super Bowl halftime show shoppable, said board member James Peters has been appointed president and COO.

Peters, who reports to company CEO Mike Fitzsimmons and will be based on Delivery Agent’s headquarters in San Francisco, is taking on the role at Delivery Agent in “response to the company’s accelerated growth and sizable market opportunity,” the company said.

Peters, who will retain a spot on the Delivery Agent board, is a retail exec late of Ross Stores, Office Depot, and Staples.

"We are laser-focused on driving revenue through world-class omni-screen shopping experiences built to monetize entertainment content,” Fitzsimmons said, in a statement. “The addition of Jim to our team - a well-respected leader with a wealth of commerce expertise - will enable us to accelerate our growth and maintain our strategic focus.”

“As a Delivery Agent board member, it was evident that the company’s strategic priorities aligned with my expertise, and the company’s vision aligned with my passion for content and commerce,” Peters added.

From the TV world, Delivery Agent’s partners include NBC, Fox, CBS, HBO, Showtime, Comcast, Cablevision Systems, AT&T, and Verizon, among others. 

Delivery Agent said it has won a deal to enable Overstock to sell products to consumers directly via connected TVs using Delivery Agent's ShopTV t-commerce platform. The “Overstocktober” campaign, which runs through October 15, will enable viewers to purchase products directly from Overstock television commercials. 

“This agreement with Delivery Agent allows us to be one of the first major retailers to offer consumers the ability to make purchases directly from their televisions, and we’re excited for future possibilities of television commerce; including the potential to expand into in-show interactions,” said Overstock SVP of marketing Saum Noursalehi, in a statement.

Delivery Agent’s clients include NBC, Fox, CBS, HBO, Showtime, Discovery Networks, Comcast, Cablevision Systems, AT&T, and Verizon Communications, among others. Last year, Delivery Agent, in an effort to make it easier for consumers to make purchases via the remote control or second-screen apps, announced an integration deal with PayPal.