Shoppable TV doubles toy sales as parents embrace seamless buying

A global toy brand's shoppable TV advertising campaign has more than doubled sales volumes and driven substantial increases in transactions, according to results shared following the activation.

The campaign, which ran in May and June 2025, was a collaboration between the toy brand, News Corp Australia (on the Tubi streaming platform), Afterpay Media Network, Yahoo DSP, IPG KINESSO Commerce through Universal McCann, and utilised commerce technology from Vudoo.

Media meets commerce

The campaign's objective was to provide parents with a streamlined shopping experience, helping them locate and buy toys with convenience. The use of shoppable TV technology enabled viewers to move from seeing an advertisement to making a purchase more quickly than with traditional advertising formats.

Interaction rates were a key measure of the campaign's impact, registering at 5.6 times above industry benchmarks. This high engagement occurred across display, rich media, and connected TV (CTV) placements, demonstrating the capacity of shoppable ads to transform traditionally passive viewing into direct shopping opportunities.

Connected TV performance

The campaign's standout results came from CTV. Embedded QR codes within Tubi's streaming content enabled viewers to access a Vudoo-powered, mobile-first shopping interface. Scans of these QR codes were three times higher than the industry benchmark for CTV, and a 19% add-to-cart rate was achieved for CTV placements. Purchases were processed through Amazon, offering a quick and focused checkout process that aimed to minimise distractions for busy parents.

The initiative used Afterpay Media Network's audience segmentation to target individuals based on browsing and purchasing behaviours relevant to parenting and early learning products. This helped ensure the advertising reached parents with tailored toy options at suitable times in their shopping journey.

Product discovery and incremental sales

An additional feature of the campaign was the interactive product catalogue from Vudoo, which surfaced other toys beyond those featured directly in the TV commercial. As a result, the bulk of sales conversions came from items discovered through this interactive platform rather than just the products displayed initially. This format enabled parents to review a wider selection of toys instantly, removing the need for conventional web searches or store visits.

These interaction-driven discoveries generated a 'halo effect', broadening the campaign's influence beyond the original creative assets. The strong conversion results led eCommerce teams to monitor stock levels closely throughout the activation period.

Industry commentary

"TV has always commanded attention, and what we're doing now is converting that attention into action. This campaign proves that with the right tech stack and collaboration, content can become commerce in a way that's measurable, immediate, and scalable. The live feedback loop of campaign metrics has also provided unprecedented visibility into how consumers respond in real-time, enabling a new level of campaign optimisation."

Nick Morgan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vudoo, reflected on the campaign's outcomes and the evolving role of television in direct commerce.

Pippa Leary, Managing Director, Client Product at News Corp Australia, said, "At our recent All Screens event, we showed how Tubi is redefining connected TV in Australia. This activation is the blueprint for what's possible, where content and commerce merge in a viewer-first way, delivering incremental results and measurable retail outcomes."

Maddie Basso, Head of Yahoo DSP Australia, commented, "We're proud to have supported this industry-first campaign through the Afterpay Media Network, powered by Yahoo's DSP. By layering behavioural insights with shoppable creative, we delivered precision performance across premium environments, including Tubi's growing audience."

Andy Holford, Chief Product Officer at IPG KINESSO Commerce, added, "This campaign is a textbook example of what happens when we tear down the wall between brand and trade. With Vudoo's layer, we're seeing media not just influence intent, but complete the sale. It's a clear signal that commerce media isn't coming – it's already here."

Andrew Gilbert, Afterpay Ads Lead, ANZ, said, "We transformed awareness into action right in the living room. This wasn't just about impressions or clicks, it was a reimagining of what a toy shelf looks like in a streaming-first world. Through the Afterpay Media Network's precise audience targeting capabilities, we helped the brand connect with parents at the perfect moment, turning passive viewing time into an intuitive shopping experience. The remarkable increase in total transaction value demonstrates how commerce media is evolving to deliver real business impact and showcases the power of meeting consumers where they are."

Changing consumer behaviour

The campaign indicates a shift in consumer shopping patterns, increasingly favouring seamless transaction opportunities where audiences engage with content. The shoppable TV solution required no change to the existing advertisement creative apart from the technology layer added by Vudoo, allowing for full-funnel tracking from viewer engagement to completed purchase without additional production investment.

The campaign's results highlight industry interest in commerce-enabled media and underscore shifting expectations as consumers seek convenient, integrated purchasing experiences across media platforms.