Walmart creates a shoppable ‘romcommerce’ series

Walmart has long been known as a retail giant but it is now extending its reach to entertainment. Sort of.

The retailer on Tuesday said it is launching a 23-part shoppable holiday romantic comedy, airing on TikTok, Roku, YouTube and Walmart’s social media channels, called "Add to Heart." Viewers can shop more than 330 products displayed in the series, everything from Reese’s chocolate-peanut butter Christmas tree candies to Café Bustelo ground coffee to clothing, housewares, makeup and more.

Walmart is dubbing the first-of-its-kind series “RomCommerce.”

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said the commercial series makes it “seamless for customers to watch, shop and swoon with each scene.”

The series will debut on Saturday, with further episodes dropping the following week.

“’Add to Heart’ is a fun, unique way for our customers to be entertained while shopping for the great deals on top brands they expect from Walmart,” Chief Marketing Officer William White said in a statement. “We hope they enjoy it and the amazing gifts they order throughout.”

Walmart said this is TikTok’s first fully shoppable holiday series. Roku users can access the episodes through Walmart’s first shoppable branded entertainment playlist and a marquee ad on the Roku home screen, the retailer said.

“Add to Heart” follows a plot that might be familiar to anyone who has watched a holiday romantic comedy: A New York designer named Jessica comes home for the holidays, loses her luggage and heads to Walmart to restock. There, she bumps into her old flame, Javi. Amid holiday festivities, decorating and more they rekindle their romance.

A trailer for the romantic comedy shows Jessica walking through a Walmart store. Blue bubbles that say, “ add” pop up near items on the screen.

This isn’t Walmart’s first foray into entertainment. The retailer partnered earlier this month with NBCUniversal to create shoppable content during Bravo’s “Below Deck Mediterranean” on Peacock. It has also previously worked with Roku and TikTok on advertising initiatives as it looks to “shorten the distance from gifting inspiration to purchase.”