On the spot with Abhijeet Rajpurohit, COO and co-founder, CloudTV 

Why the campaign rocks:

TV advertising has come a long way from simply building brand awareness. Today, connected TV (CTV) advertising is creating direct pathways from viewing to purchasing. What began as basic QR code overlays has evolved into integrated shopping experiences that recognise how viewers use second screens while watching their favourite content.

Amazon Prime Video’s spy thriller Citadel offers an excellent example of this approach. When viewers pause the show, they can select a “Shop the store” icon that displays a QR code linking to a dedicated retail site. This allows viewers to browse and purchase items similar to what they just saw on screen. Amazon has a massive leg up in this game, of course. When you’re both making the shows and selling the stuff, you don’t need to split profits with anyone else. And guess what? These features are proving to be effective. According to a study by Aluma referenced in AdExchanger, “among adults who remember seeing a shoppable TV ad, 39% engaged with the ad, and of that 39%, 70% bought a product.” As streaming continues to dominate entertainment consumption, we can expect more sophisticated “see it, want it, buy it” moments.