Dive Brief:

• Callaway Golf's recent interactive video campaign generated more than five times the projected click-through-rate, according to Kerv Interactive, the video company that produced the campaign. Viewers spent average of 38 seconds with the brand while the bounce rate average was cut in half.
• The shoppable video, delivered programmatically on desktop and mobile, starred Callaway's Chief Wedge Designer Roger Cleveland, who demonstrates the Jaws MD5 Wedges while interactive elements allow viewers to click on each club within the video to explore details. More than 15 action-based metrics let Callaway retarget users based on their unique interactions per object.
• The brand targeted the videos at two distinct audiences — baby boomer/Gen X and millennial/Gen Z —​ to gather data illustrating product interest by age group and club category.

Dive Insight:

Callaway's shoppable video is the latest example of how the lines between direct response marketing and branding are converging as digital video becomes more interactive. This approach gives companies a richer media platform to flaunt their products and connect content to the revenue-driving power of a shopping cart.

The golf retailer elevates its branded video footage with product close-ups enriched by clickable elements that activate additional club features. By showing off the precision in how its golf clubs are made, Callaway can distinguish the quality of its merchandise in a more impactful way than with simply describing it via text or producing a less dynamic, standard video ad. Interactivity and specific calls to action more directly connect the dots between advertising content and commerce, while gathering data about how each target demographic interacts with the video will likely glean valuable insights into the age groups' interests and inform retargeting efforts.

In a similar move around the holidays, Neiman Marcus enlisted Kerv's shoppable video technology to more deeply engage consumers during a season when they're particularly inundated with advertising. The retailer partnered with Vogue and Mastercard for a three-minute humorous spot titled "A Night at Neiman's." In the video, actress Taraji P. Henson gets locked inside a Neiman Marcus for the night. She turns the unfortunate circumstances into a fun event modeling and interacting with products throughout the store. During the video, a clickable button on the right side of the screen entices viewers to "Shop Now."