Argos is the first retailer in Europe to create a Shazam-enabled TV advertising campaign, created with Mindshare and CHI and Partners, which will be aired during ITV’s X Factor on Saturday.

Users of the audio recognition app will be prompted to activate Shazam on their phone. The Shazam for TV service then picks up the ads audio and launches branded digital content, including an easy download of the Argos app.

Last month, in its Q3 earnings report, Argos committed itself to becoming a truly digital retailer, including growing its mobile channel, which represented 7 per cent of sales during this period. Shazam, meanwhile, has 12.2m users in the UK, growing by 400,000 every month. 

“Mobile is our fastest growing channel so we are constantly looking at new ways to interact with our customers through this and other digital platforms,” said Carl Nield, head of brand marketing at Argos. “Shazam for TV allows us to reach out to a potential new audience of Shazam users and link our digital apps with traditional media.”