CHICAGO ? A Weather Channel executive at the Results 2012: Mobile Marketing Day conference said that brands can overcome fragmentation by using multiple mobile platforms.

?The Weather Channel: Mobile As The First Screen? session gave attendees a look at how the publisher has incorporated mobile advertising into its strategy with case study examples. The session also offered attendees tips on how to approach cross-platform advertising.

?Users care about the weather not for the science, but because they want to know how to live their lives,? said Patrick McCormack, vice president of mobile sales and strategy at The Weather Channel, Atlanta.

?There is a concept that weather is a personalized and a must-have app on mobile phones,? he said.

Mobile land
Three main areas have contributed to the digital transformation ? the mobile revolution, increased cross-platform use and fragmentation, per the executive.

Mobile Web usage is on pace to pass the Web by 2013, showing how consumers are relying on their mobile devices as their main communication device versus a desktop.

This past summer, The Weather Channel saw more mobile traffic than desktop traffic. The publisher claims to have 32 million unique visitors (see story).

However, for weather in particular, applications play a large role. Weather ranks as the No. 2 top app category, according to a report from comScore.

The Kindle Fire has proved to be a game-changer for The Weather Channel with more than 2.5 million downloads, and is the company's No. 1 Android app.

Additionally, the Weather Channel?s iPhone app is the No. 1 weather app. The company?s iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Pre Palm apps have been downloaded more than 56 million times.

The Weather Channel is revamping its iPhone app in May to include more personalized options, including a weather-triggered feature that makes it look like a user is looking outside their window.

The Weather Channel has taken advantage of the tablet?s screen size and display to help enhance weather forecasts.

For example, 76 percent of The Weather Channel iPad app users visit the app once a day, showing the opportunities for brands to spread their message.

With consumers using multiple screens per day, brands need to think of ways to display advertisements across multiple channels, per the executive.

The publisher claims that 111 million consumers use more than two of the company?s platforms. This shows that consumers are relying on multiple channels to get their weather forecasts.

Depending on the target demographic, brands can segment campaigns based on time of day.

For example, iPad usage tends to be higher on weekends while desktop declines. Smartphone and mobile Web usage on the other hand remains constant throughout the week.

Mr. McCormack said that advertisers who use more than three platforms have campaigns that are 21 times more effective than with just one platform. Advertisers that use two platforms can have campaigns that are three times more effective versus just one platform.

Mobile example
The session also included a few examples of brands that are taking advantage of The Weather Channel?s targeting abilities.

By putting barriers around location and time, mobile ads can give users an incentive to interact with an ad. Additionally, consumers will be more likely to engage if there is a relevant piece of content.

For example, Starbucks used a mobile ad that was targeted by ZIP code to promote its brewed coffee.

Additionally, Subway ran a campaign that only took place in the morning from 5 to 11 a.m to advertise its breakfast menu items.

An ad campaign from Wendy?s to promote its berry frosty products was only served when it was more than 75 degrees out.

To help target consumers better, The Weather Channel is rolling out a new tool called hyper local audience targeting that lets advertisers pull together data to make campaigns more targeted.

In the coming months, The Weather Channel will also be rolling out new lifestyle-based content with on-air programs that show how weather impacts consumers? everyday lives.

?People come to The Weather Channel to plan and remember the weather forecast because it is a part of their lives,? Mr. McCormack said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York