Paramount is leaning into AI-enabled shoppable TV

If you’re a longtime country fan, or perhaps a recent convert thanks to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, you may have tuned in to this month’s CMT Music Awards, and maybe even its red carpet pre-show. In addition to the fancy outfits and screaming fans, there were also QR codes that encouraged viewers to shop for the things they were seeing on screen.

The feature is part of a new shoppable TV partnership between Paramount and retail media company Shopsense AI, which lets viewers scan the codes and shop for clothing and other products, like home goods, that are similar to those featured in Paramount’s programs. The code directs users to an online store, where items populated by Shopsense’s AI are available for sale.

Viewers can expect more onscreen shopping from Paramount properties in the future, and The Talk is already leveraging Shopsense technology, according to a press release from the two companies.

AI 101: The partnership between Paramount and Shopsense was born out of conversations at CES in January, Bryan Quinn, the president and co-founder of Shopsense, told Marketing Brew. Using the CMT Music Awards as a kick-off was an effort to showcase the tech during a tentpole event ahead of the upfronts.

Shopsense execs worked with Paramount to understand what CMT Awards attendees wore on the red carpet last year, as well as what might be in vogue this year, Quinn told us. They then took that information and fed it into Shopsense’s AI platform, which put together several similar looks at different price points that viewers could buy from the custom CMT online store.

The shopping site won’t necessarily disappear once the broadcast is over, though. “Someone could go into the store six months from now, if they decide to keep the store up,” Glenn Fishback, Shopsense’s CEO and another co-founder, said. “It’ll be fresh with new looks around all these items. That’s the magic around this.”

Join the pack: Paramount isn’t the only company investing in shoppable TV and e-commerce this year. In time for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, NBCUniversal is rolling out Virtual Concessions, which allows users to buy snacks and beverages using a QR code.