Walmart and NBCUniversal are redefining live sports advertising with innovative shoppable experiences during NBC’s Thanksgiving NFL telecast featuring the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers. This collaboration allows viewers to kickstart their holiday shopping directly from their screens using Walmart’s scale and NBCUniversal’s cutting-edge ad technology.
Shoppable Ads: QR Codes and Text-to-Shop
Viewers tuning in to the game will encounter interactive ad features, including on-screen QR codes that link directly to Walmart.com shopping pages. For the first time, NBCUniversal will also deploy its “text-to-shop” functionality, enabling fans to shop directly from the broadcast without missing any game action.
Walmart will further showcase its holiday deals through a two-minute segment from its “Deals of Desire” campaign, highlighting some of the season’s best offers. Fans can also explore products from other brands available at Walmart, blending holiday deals with an engaging shopping experience.
Leveraging Sports for Retail Success
This collaboration builds on previous initiatives, such as NBCUniversal’s Must Shop TV, which Walmart supported as the launch partner. Past experiments with live sports programming revealed increased engagement and stronger ad performance compared to standard connected TV ads.
“The power and reach of NBCUniversal’s sports portfolio is unmatched—bringing game-day action to life for fans and brands in a highly engaging and effective ecosystem,” said Alison Levin, president of advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal. “By teaming up with the powerhouse of Walmart and Walmart Connect, we’re differentiating the viewer experience with a first-of-its-kind shoppable activation, while also amplifying real, cross-platform accountability for marketers on one of our biggest stages. This is the next era of advertising—the most compelling content, an innovative viewer experience, and real, cross-platform reach and attribution.”
Data-Driven Ad Measurement
The collaboration introduces closed-loop measurement capabilities, providing advertisers with insights on the impact of their ads. By leveraging Walmart Connect’s purchase data and NBCUniversal’s media platform, brands can track and attribute sales across linear and streaming formats, ensuring precise targeting and accountability.
“Walmart customers love professional football—86% of surveyed customers told us they watch the games,” said Rich Lehrfeld, general manager and senior vice president of Walmart Connect. “The new advertising opportunities we’re introducing, powered by Walmart’s scale and reach, will be a game-changer in helping to solve the linear equation by tying our in-store purchase data to linear audiences.”
Beyond Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving game is just the beginning. Walmart and NBCUniversal plan to extend this partnership beyond the holiday season, expanding interactive shopping opportunities during live sports broadcasts. This collaboration not only enhances viewer engagement but also demonstrates how live sports programming can seamlessly integrate commerce to create a more dynamic and measurable advertising ecosystem.
