NBCUniversal Tests Shoppable Ads During ‘TODAY’ Show

NBCUniversal launched a test run of ShoppableTV, a new tool that displays QR codes that take viewers to eCommerce sites when they are scanned.

According to a report, NBCUniversal tested the QR codes during the “TODAY” show. The media giant said that ShoppableTV generated thousands of scans during the test run and sales within minutes. The network plans to roll out the advertising tool on its channels including NBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, Bravo, E!, CNBC Prime and USA Network.

The launch of ShoppableTV is part of an effort by NBCUniversal to improve conversion rates for advertisers running ads during television shows. With internet, mobile and streaming services booming, traditional TV is seeing a slowdown in advertising spend.

ShoppableTV joins other high-tech tools NBC has been deploying recently, such as a partnership with Sky to create targeted ads for TV as well as the Contextual Intelligence Platform, a machine learning tool that can determine the best times to insert ads into a television show.

“By pairing brands with our premium content, owning every stage of the purchase funnel and removing the barriers consumers traditionally encounter between seeing a product and making a purchase, we’re giving marketers a direct sales channel to millions of viewers across the country,” Josh Feldman, head of marketing at NBCUniversal, said in a statement to the reporting news outlet.

NBCUniversal isn’t only focusing on its network with its digital push. Earlier this year, the media company inked a deal with CNBC and Acorns, the FinTech that enables mobile investing, to create editorial content and events. NBCUniversal gets a seat on the Acorns board, which will be filled by CNBC Chairman Mark Hoffman. Financial terms of the deal were not announced. CNBC and Acorns will work together to develop educational content for current and future investors, and will hire a team to create financial literacy and personal finance content for Acorns platforms.