• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, July 14, 2014

The Weather Channel has created a new branding technique for its re-launched iPad app called “Branded Backgrounds,” and Volvo Cars will be the first marketer to utilize it in a campaign that breaks on Tuesday for its XC60 Crossover model. 

With Branded Backgrounds, full-screen branded images are displayed under translucent weather content, with the images changing to match the current weather conditions at each user's location to provide maximum local relevance. 

In the Volvo campaign, for example, when an app user checks the weather, an image of a Volvo XC60 Crossover vehicle will be seen driving in rain, snow, clear or cloudy weather depending on the real-time or predicted conditions. 

Volvo’s agency Grey Advertising created the content for the campaign and sibling agency Mindshare handled the media transaction.

“Volvo is known for our perfect marriage of capability and innovative technology, therefore we jumped at the opportunity to bring these attributes to life through The Weather Channel app for iPad,” said Bodil Eriksson, EVP, Marketing, Brand and Communications, Volvo Cars of North America. “People know a Volvo will safely get them where they need to go, no matter the forecast and this is a very cool reminder.”