Paramount debuted a new technology last night at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) that allowed viewers to shop the entire broadcast, from the red carpet to the stage. The Shopsense AI Lens is an image recognition tool that lets viewers snap a photo of what their favorite artists are wearing and then shop the looks they love in an AI-curated digital store.
The debut of the new technology is part of Paramount’s ongoing partnership with Shopsense, which kicked off with a shopping experience during the CMT Music Awards red carpet pre-show and live broadcast in April.
Last night’s VMAs took the partnership even further with the debut of the Lens tool, which makes the process even more seamless for consumers. With the Lens, viewers take a photo with their second-screen device, such as a smartphone or tablet, of a fashion or product on their “first” screens, like a TV or laptop. The Lens identifies exact product matches or suggests similar items, offering viewers a live, interactive shopping experience.
“MTV is home to some of the biggest moments in music and pop culture and has been at the forefront of innovation, pushing boundaries to connect in new and exciting ways,” said John Halley, President of Paramount Advertising in a statement. “Shopsense is creating a truly immersive and interactive experience that seamlessly blends entertainment and commerce. We look forward to extending the Shopsense AI Lens to additional Paramount content in the coming weeks and months.”
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Shopsense currently has thousands of retailers on its platform providing access to over 1 billion shoppable SKUs. The Lens is integrated directly into the publisher’s Shopsense-powered retail storefront, enhancing user engagement and providing a direct link between content and commerce. This allows publishers like Paramount and MTV to retain traffic on their platforms while offering an enriched, multi-screen experience to their audience. Lens will roll out to all Shopsense partners in the near future and is compatible with both linear and streaming TV content.
“Content creators want to get closer to the point of purchase, and Shopsense AI has quickly become the new commerce engine for broadcasters,” said Glenn Fishback, Co-founder and CEO of Shopsense AI in a statement. “I can’t think of a better cultural moment for us to launch the new Shopsense AI Lens than at the VMAs, a powerhouse phenomenon of music and fashion that perfectly aligns with our vision of transforming the way viewers interact with content. Our technology empowers publishers to provide a more immersive and engaging experience for their audiences while driving new revenue streams through seamless product discovery and purchase.”
Paramount is far from the only network looking to enter the realm of shoppable TV:
- In January, Disney debuted its first native streaming shoppable ad format called Gateway Shop;
- NBCUniversal has been aggressively pursuing the idea with the debut of an integrated online marketplace and hundreds of shoppable TV experiences, as well as a recent tie-up with Walmart;
- Amazon is moving quickly into the space with Prime X-Ray and shoppable ads; and
- Roku has teamed up with a number of retailers, including Walmart and Best Buy.
