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Univision launches shoppable TV for award show viewers

TelevisaUnivision announced a partnership with Shopsense AI to integrate shopping across its streaming channels. 

The media and content company will be the exclusive Spanish-language partner of Shopsense, the companies said. Shopsense works by presenting viewers with shoppable collections of items featured in the content they’re watching, curated by artificial intelligence (AI). Univision will display Shopsense’s retail media platform to viewers during major events, including the Latin American Music Awards.

Univision operates four broadcast networks and 38 cable networks with content across sports, entertainment and news. It also operates the Mexican movie studio Videocine and owns ViX, the largest Spanish-language streaming platform.

“We’re excited to partner with Shopsense AI as its exclusive Spanish-language media partner, enhancing the overall viewing experience for our audience and providing an engaging opportunity for them to connect through big moments in music, sports and more,” said Donna Speciale, president of U.S. advertising sales and marketing at TelevisaUnivision. “This capability provides a seamless integration into our content, allowing our partners to tap into retail media markets that extend the reach of brands, and offer more touchpoints to engage with consumers.”

How shoppable TV will work with Univision

Univision viewers can purchase home goods, clothing, sports items or other products they see in shows, movies or livestreams. Shopsense gives them QR codes they can use to access show-specific digital stores on a second device. Shopsense said nearly nine out of 10 consumers use mobile devices to browse shoppable content, according to its audience research.

Univision used Shopsense AI to launch four shopping categories during the Latin American Music Awards.

Univision used Shopsense AI to launch four shopping categories during the Latin American Music Awards.

Univision will launch four shoppable TV collections to start:

  1. Get Ready with Me featuring Alejandra Espinoza: The Mexican television presenter and actress’ looks from the Latin American Music Awards 
  2. Neon Vibes: Showcasing the colors and sounds from the awards show into viewers’ homes
  3. Regional Urbano: Univision says this collection will “capture the impact of regional Mexican and urban music, with influences from urban, reggaeton, pop and other genres” 
  4. Looks For Less: Products to help viewers dress like their favorite artists at a lower price point

“TelevisaUnivision is uniquely positioned to blend entertainment and shoppability across their linear and streaming content,” said Glenn Fishback, CEO and co-founder of Shopsense AI. “TelevisaUnivision’s deep cultural understanding of their audience and connection to U.S. Hispanics provides an incredible foundation for Shopsense AI’s powerful retail media platform to deliver strong sponsorships results for brand partners.” 

Other industry investments in shoppable TV

Shoppable ads are a growing ecommerce option for some of the largest online retailers. 

In January 2024, Disney announced a beta program on Hulu. Consumers can make purchases through the new Gateway Shop in Hulu while maintaining their viewing experience, Disney said at the time. 

Viewers see personalized advertisements for products that are sent to phones through push notifications or email. Since the launch, Disney has grown the interactive shopping features in streaming, it said

“Our goal is to help audiences connect with the brands they love with the least amount of friction, without disrupting the content they’re streaming,” Jamie Power, senior vice president of addressable sales at Disney Advertising, said in January.  

Disney is No. 92 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of North America’s online retailers by web sales. Amazon (No. 1 in the Top 1000), Walmart (No. 2), and Home Depot (No. 4) are all experimenting with shoppable TV, too. Amazon tested shoppable ads during the first-ever Black Friday NFL game it streamed in 2023. Walmart inked a deal with NBCUniversal in November to place shoppable ads on the streaming platform Peacock. The ads gave consumers the chance to buy Walmart items featured in select Bravo shows. And Home Depot released a branded content series with Vizio in 2023.

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