WTFN, one of Australia’s leading independent production companies, in partnership with Drawbridge Labs, has launched a Shoppable TV global first, as season four of its hit series Space Invaders premiered in primetime on Nine over the weekend (3rd February).

Viewers of the popular decluttering and home renovation programme will be able to scan an onscreen QR code and enter and explore a Virtual Store, guided by show host Peter Walsh. Using their mobile devices, viewers can walk around the interactive and immersive 3D home to touch, explore and purchase the products they are watching on television from a selection of local sponsors, ranging from flooring and furniture retailers to paint companies and florists. And there’s no jumping in and out of different retailer websites. Purchasing is simple, with products from different companies all paid for and delivered through one channel.

Space Invaders is one of WTFN’s most successful series at home and overseas and is now available in more than 100 territories. Thanks to deals with major broadcasters such as Channel 4 in the UK, M6 in France, TV2 in Denmark, Discovery in Germany, JCG in South Korea and Disney in Bulgaria, it was sister company Fred Media’s biggest-selling title last year.

Significantly for this new Virtual Store development, Space Invaders is also available as a format, with deals already confirmed in France, Belgium, Finland and Italy. The partnership with Drawbridge Labs now provides Fred Media with a unique new offer to broadcasters looking to adapt Space Invaders for their own territories. In addition to bringing a world-leading technical innovation to their viewers, allowing them to engage directly with the story on TV, it opens up a raft of new opportunities for producers, broadcasters, advertisers and sponsors looking for both market stand-out and incremental revenues.

“Brands are constantly looking for new and meaningful ways to be part of TV shows and this development really is next level, offering added value to both brand owners and TV companies”, says Derek Dyson, Chief Commercial Officer at WTFN. “Drawbridge Labs’ Shoppable TV Platform is simple, uses Virtual Reality and Generative AI to create an enticing and immersive ‘in the moment’ customer experience that fully aligns with our TV series and, importantly, with the ability to drive and capture impulse purchases, it can demonstrate an immediate ROI for sponsors/advertisers.”

Drawbridge Labs officially opens for business this week, with WTFN and Space Invaders being the first customer for its proprietary Shoppable 3D Platform. The business was founded by CEO Gavin Douglas, himself a former TV producer and format developer (with production credits that include Masterchef, MythBusters and Top Gear) and then CEO/co-founder of iPowow, a game-changing business that created interactive TV partnerships for broadcasters such as Disney, Fox and NBC and for big-ticket shows including The Oscars, Big Brother, The Bachelor and Modern Family.

Gavin Douglas, CEO at Drawbridge Labs comments: “We are delighted to be working with the WTFN team and Space Invaders in Australia and excited to see how fans of the show will engage when it premieres this weekend.

“Our team is using its extensive experience of both content production and creating interactive entertainment experiences to lead the charge in Shoppable TV and drive incremental revenue for brands and broadcasters. While launching Drawbridge Labs this week in Australia, our platform readily works globally, giving television producers, networks, and advertisers around the world the power to engage with their viewers directly in 3D commerce on their phone, second by second while watching their favourite TV show.”