Dive Brief:

• Neiman Marcus teamed up with Vogue, Mastercard and Kerv Interactive on a humorous shoppable holiday video, according to details Kerv Interactive shared with Marketing Dive.
• The three-minute "A Night at Neiman's" video stars actress Taraji P. Henson, who gets locked inside a Neiman Marcus for the night. She has fun with the unfortunate circumstances and runs around the store like a kid having a night in the museum, trying on clothes, driving a kid-sized Range Rover and drinking champagne with mannequins. Throughout the video, a clickable button on the right side of the screen entices viewers to "Shop Now."
• The video, which lives on NeimanMarcus.com and Vogue.com, has more than 100 interaction points. It also appears on YouTube, where clicking on the video leads to a Neiman Marcus landing page. The products Henson highlights also appear on the landing page and are categorized for holiday shopping such as "Gifts for Her" and "Stocking Stuffers."

Dive Insight:

Neiman Marcus' shoppable video collaboration with Vogue is an example of how branding and response marketing are converging as digital video becomes more interactive. In this example, the retailer can get in front of fashion-conscious consumers with entertaining content that may drive impressions with relevant calls to action, potentially driving engagement and sales.

The video highlights a kind of dream come true for a luxury brand shopper — having Neiman Marcus to herself as she models clothes, plays with toys and enjoys the merchandise without the typical lines and crowds. Henson illustrates the products in a fun manner while the "Shop Now" button appears constantly on the screen, encouraging viewers to browse and add items to their cart.

Shoppable video ads appear to be gaining steam this holiday season as platforms like YouTube and Instagram highlight how videos can be both entertaining and sales-focused. Instagram is promoting its in-app shopping features with a 60-second holiday spot starring Celine Dion. The shoppable video depicts the singer looking at Instagram's curated selection of clothes from Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Adidas and Oscar De La Renta while she sings her hit song "It's All Coming Back to Me Now."

YouTube recently began running shopping ads in a user's home feed, with retailers such as Puma and Urban Outfitters testing the tool with campaigns to engage holiday shoppers. Almost two-thirds of consumers said online video has informed and inspired their decision to make a purchase, according to YouTube's research. Urban Outfitters worked with the video platform on Showcase Shopping ads and reported a 241% increase in click-through rates.