Walmart and Peacock team up on AI-powered shoppable ads

Fans of “Below Deck Mediterranean” on Peacock will soon be able to shop from the episodes in real time—thanks to artificial intelligence. AI will comb through three upcoming episodes of “Below Deck Mediterranean” for Walmart products similar to the dishes or cookware used by the yacht’s crew or apparel worn by guests. Those products will then be featured in an interactive carousel during ad breaks, which viewers can scroll through with their remotes. The ad will then show users a QR code that takes users to a mobile checkout page for the selected items. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The ads will also incorporate Walmart’s store inventory data to only display in-stock products to viewers. The shoppable episodes of “Below Deck Mediterranean,” will air Nov. 7, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. “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. This represents the latest commerce initiative in TV. Elsewhere in the streaming landscape, Roku has been leaning into shoppable ads that allow users to check out using just their remotes, and Amazon Prime Video has used “Thursday Night Football” as a testing ground for connecting TV with its retail platform, a capability advertisers hope will be available when it launches ads for Prime Video content next year. When Disney launched its ad-supported tier on Disney+, the company’s president of advertising sales Rita Ferro told Ad Age that Disney is exploring ways to bring shoppable formats to its streamer. Walmart has been a frequent partner in media companies’ exploration of the shoppable space. The retail chain was an early partner in Roku’s development of commerce ads and partnered with NBCU last year for a shoppable holiday livestream on E! Online. “We’re always looking for innovative ways to shorten the distance between inspiration and the ability to purchase,” said William White, chief marketing officer for Walmart U.S., in a statement “By expanding our shoppable TV footprint with NBCUniversal, we’re pairing our incredible product assortment with some of their most talked-about content so our customers can quickly purchase items inspired by their favorite cast-members while they're watching.”

Walmart and Peacock team up on AI-powered shoppable ads

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