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Shoppable ads are trending

In this image, a person sits and holds a phone up to a TV mounted on the wall.
Image: Maskot via Getty Images

One big takeaway from NewFront presentations this year is that publishers are getting behind the "shoppable ads" trend that many tech platforms have been focusing on for the past two years.

What's new: NBCUniversal became the first national broadcaster to roll out "shoppable" TV ads on Monday, per AdWeek.

  • The ad unit, called ShoppableTV, is triggered when viewers point mobile cameras toward QR codes that appear onscreen during NBC programming and commercials.

What else: Walmart's video platform Vudu is testing a new "shoppable in-stream ads" format, per Variety.

  • The format is designed to encourage users to click on a spot to receive product information via email or “add to cart” prompt to allow users to add an item featured in an ad to their cart on walmart.com.

Go deeper: E-commerce is upending Madison Avenue, led by Amazon

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