NBCUniversal's holiday commerce push includes augmented reality store

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas as NBCUniversal ramps up its shoppable content offerings ahead of Black Friday and the winter holiday season. The company is launching a livestreamed shopping series and augmented reality retail space. Built on technology such as the company’s One Platform ad offering and its NBCUniversal Checkout functionality, the two primary shoppable properties will guide consumers through interactive buying experiences. “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,” said Josh Feldman, chief marketing officer, NBCUniversal Advertising and Partnerships, noting the media company’s “embracing [of] global commerce trends.” The media giant’s push into e-commerce and shoppable content mark the latest step in its pursuit of expanding its retail offerings, many of which were highlighted at its One21 developer conference earlier this year. It has similarly moved toward interactive advertising, asking viewers to vote for ads and rolling out on-screen QR codes and other technology. Going live today, the first of the company’s new shoppable offerings will take the form of the Virtual Bravo Bazaar, an augmented reality-based online store for “Bravoholics” to buy merchandise from their favorite shows and “Bravoleb brands,” according to a statement from NBCUniversal. It will run throughout the year. Created with Obsess, a virtual store platform that has partnered with existing retailers from Coach to Sam’s Club, NBCU’s Virtual Bravo Bazaar is designed as a luxury foyer with clickable portals to branded shops full of products showcased on “The Real Housewives,” “Below Deck” and several of the network’s other titles. Regardless of the brand or product, the entire Virtual Bravo Bazaar shopping and checkout experience is contained within the AR platform—there’s no linking to third-party retailers’ sites. Also on NBCU’s agenda for the holiday season is “Impulse Try with Remi Bader,” a limited livestreamed shopping show, also backed by NBCUniversal Checkout, that’s due for release over the coming Thanksgiving weekend. Bader, a social media influencer with around 2 million followers on TikTok, will host the show and be joined by Bravo stars including Anisha Ramakrishna of “Family Karma” and a roster of “Real Housewives” personalities. The three-episode series will run on Bravo and E!’s Facebook, Instagram and Xfinity properties. It will also air during paid programming on Bravo and on-demand on NBCU’s Peacock streaming platform. "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," said Bader, who identifies herself as a “curve model.” “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.” Launching on Black Friday, Nov. 26, subsequent episodes will debut on the following Saturday and Monday with each one focusing on “style,” “glam” and “home,” respectively.

NBCUniversal's holiday commerce push includes augmented reality store

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