Boston-based home furnishings e-retailer Wayfair Inc. and A&E Television Networks will soon air a new TV series merging two of the nation’s favorite pastimes: watching TV and online shopping.
The two companies announced Wednesday the co-creation of a new show titled, “The Way Home,” an hour-long program featuring do-it-yourself renovations and home improvements using products solely available from Wayfair.
Nancy Go, Wayfair’s vice president of brand marketing, said the show is an advertising first: uniting television and e-commerce in a TV format that encourages viewers to visit the company’s website.
“This is the next generation of the Home Shopping Network and the Today show,” Go said. “This is a whole new kit and kaboodle.”
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The series will be hosted by interior designer Evette Rios and “life-style expert” Megan Colarossi, who recently finished filming the 10-part series in New York. Go said the hosts will offer tips for saving time and money on home projects and customers will be able to shop live sales events on Wayfair.com following the broadcast.
Wayfair is not explicitly named as the show’s sponsor in previews of the show, which has the look and feel of a morning talk show. Wayfair said it will be clear that viewers can go to the website to purchase items, which can be shipped free by Wayfair.
“We wanted to tell our stories about our products,” Go said.
The show also includes traditional commercials, though none from Wayfair. Go did not know who had bought that airtime.
The industry publication Adweek, which first wrote about the new program, called it the network’s “most ambitious branded content push yet.”
The series will premiere on Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. on the Lifetime channel.
Megan Woolhouse can be reached at megan.woolhouse@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @megwoolhouse.