Programmatic Pause Ads on Xumo Play Boosted Brand Awareness & Delivered 276% Lift in QR Code Scans For The Jewelry Brand

WunderKIND Ads, the leader in non-intrusive, user-first ad experiences, unveiled details of the highly successful Connected TV (CTV) campaign for Zales, a premier jewelry brand under the Signet Jewelers umbrella, powered by WunderKIND Ads and conducted in partnership with media agency Connect at Publicis Media, Xumo, the streaming platform joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications.

The national campaign leveraged Wunderkind’s first-to-market innovative Pause Ad inventory on Xumo Play, a free ad-supported streaming TV service, to boost brand awareness and drive exceptional results, including a 276% increase in QR code scans and directly attributable sales from an upper-funnel tactic. Developed in partnership with OpenGlass.TV, Wunderkind’s CTV Pause Ad technology ensures seamless delivery and optimization across platforms.

Faced with the challenge of amplifying a new brand message and promoting timely Mother’s Day offers, Zales explored new avenues within the CTV space. The brand had historically viewed CTV as a tool for building top-of-funnel awareness rather than driving direct conversions.

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WunderKIND Ads, Connect at Publicis Media, and Xumo collaborated on a strategy to challenge that perception. The campaign used custom-built creative, including one version for a Mother’s Day sales push and another showcasing Zales’ new brand identity. A three-pronged targeting approach was implemented, combining audience data (jewelry and Mother’s Day shoppers), contextual targeting, and a run-of-network (RON) mix to balance precision with scale.

“WunderKIND Ads for CTV exceeded our expectations by driving more QR code scans vs. prior CTV campaigns, and even drove some directly attributable sales – an unexpected win for an upper-funnel tactic!” said Yasmari Garay, Sr. Director, Digital Marketing at Signet/ Zales.

The campaign delivered outstanding results that surpassed expectations:

• Massive Engagement Boost: The campaign generated a 276% increase in QR code scans compared to previous, larger-budgeted campaigns.
• Directly Attributable Revenue: In an unexpected win for an awareness-focused initiative, the campaign converted engagement into measurable revenue, with directly attributable purchases from QR code scans — a rare outcome for an upper-funnel CTV activation.

“This campaign for Zales demonstrates the measurable impact that innovative ad formats can have on the connected TV experience,” said Joseph Lerner, Head of Programmatic and Revenue Partnerships at Xumo. “Our mission at Xumo is to provide advertisers with effective, brand-safe solutions that not only capture viewer attention but also drive tangible results, and this collaboration with WunderKIND Ads and Connect at Publicis Media is a perfect example of that in action.”

The success of the campaign exhibits the power of strategic partnerships and innovative ad formats, like pause ads, to not only capture audience attention but also drive viewers down the funnel to take direct action.

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“Zales’ outstanding results with WunderKIND Ads on Xumo Play underscore the power of truly user-first advertising,” said Adam Gendelman, Head of Sales and Operation for WunderKIND Ads at Wunderkind. “By transforming pause moments into meaningful engagements, we’ve not only boosted brand awareness but demonstrably driven sales, proving that impactful, non-intrusive experiences are the future of CTV.”