1 min readEver felt like buying something in the middle of a TV show? Me neither, but Paramount wants you to shop while you watch with its new Shoppable TV initiative.
Shoppable TV will allow users to make purchases triggered by what is on screen. It may be merchandise linked to the show, products featured on screen, or simply ad placements purchased by brands and agencies.
During shows, viewers will see an on-screen prompt encouraging them to pause and explore merchandise and other products through the Paramount Shop. Viewers can navigate the carousel with their TV remote, but the actual purchase won’t be made on the television set.
Once a product is selected a QR code will appear on screen which users can scan with their phone or tablet in order to complete the transaction securely.
Rod Prosser, Chief Sales Officer, Paramount Australia praised the initiative as “[an] intuitive consumer experience that deepens audience connection and engagement with content, simplifie[s] the customer journey and bridges the gap between content discovery and purchase.”
Paramount Australia is the guinea pig, with the trial set to begin during Australian Survivor which is due to be completed in March 2024. Insights and analytics from this trial will be used as a proof of concept for a potential international roll out across Paramount’s global business.
This new monetisation strategy comes on the same day the Paramount+ announced two new subscriptions tiers - one premium and one ad-based. The Premium Plan will launch in Australia for $13.99 monthly and $124.99 annually, while prices for the ad-based tier are yet to be released, but is expected to hit screens in 2024.
