It’s a prediction that’s been floating around for more than a decade. Advertising executives and new media specialists have long promised that you’ll have the option to purchase a shirt or dress worn by an actor or actress the moment you first admire it during a movie or TV show. Like the sweater that character is wearing? Press the “shop” button on your remote. That kind of thing. It’s technology that’s been talked about for so long that I thought it would never appear, but this week it arrives, debuting with the release of Sons of Anarchy Season 3 on Blu-ray, offering of all things, a wide assortment of Biker clothing.

 

The trick is performed using Second Screen technology. This is where an iPad, powered by a free app, can use it’s microphone to “listen” to audio coming from your television. By noting the music and dialogue it can work out the exact second of the program you’re watching and display content to match. Some video releases have used this technique already to offer trivia, behind-the-scenes content, special interactives, and even games. In this case Sons of Anarchy is using it for shopping.

With an iPad loaded with the free “SOA Gear” app, key episodes in the Season 3 set will point out clothing worn by the characters. For example, when Katy Segal’s character Gemma appears on-screen your iPad will automatically display details about the croc-skin jacket she’s wearing, and, with a few finger swipes, you can submit an order to buy a version of it in your size right then and there for $395 US.

Although it hovers on that jacket for a long time, if you still missed it somehow you can simply tap your iPad to have your Blu-ray player automatically skip directly to that scene for a replay. Naturally, the whole clothing catalogue is available on your iPad even when the show isn’t playing.

The Sons of Anarchy is an interesting choice. A drama that follows the lives of a Biker Club, the show inspires a shopping experience filled with rings, belt buckles, shot glasses, temporary tattoos, and even Harley Davidson bikes. A very different demographic than those favoured by shopping channels.

There is a twist, of course. The actual number of times where you can buy what you see is quite limited. It’s only available for key episodes, and then you’ll find maybe one or two pieces of clothing that are available. To pad the collection for a wider selection, Fox Home Video has included a range of items that are “inspired” by the series. T-shirts, hats, and mouse pads not worn by any of the characters, but bearing the Sons of Anarchy logo, will also appear through very weak connections to what’s happening on your television. In one episode the characters carry a baby in a bright, red cap. Your iPad will light up with details of a white infant cap or a blue baby creeper, printed with the show’s logo in response.

The market for collectibles, fan merchandise, and replicas has already existed for a very long time. What Fox Home Video is doing here is simply offering a direct connection to it, saving you from having to hit your computer and search for it after the show. Other than convenience, the experience doesn’t really add much value to watching the series itself. For the release of Bambi on Blu-ray, Disney used Second Screen technology to let you animate the original pencil tests with your iPad while you watch. It doesn’t earn Disney any direct cash, but it’s an experience you’ll carry with you for a much longer time.