• by Tyler Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_tyler, February 16, 2015

Winter storm Juno, the “historic” storm that didn’t pack the punch many predicted, still impacted the way consumers behaved, and in turn, the way media buyers targeted audiences.

Based on analysis of over 325 billion impressions, audience targeting firm Netmining saw budget hotels (up 20%), cruises (up 17%), and travel insurance (up 50%) conversion rates all increase during the storm compared to average rates.

Netmining also says a major flight search engine saw a 78% increase in use during the storm.

With the storm being touted as unforgettable, consumers were drawn to weather Web sites. Netmining noted that weather Web sites saw a three times increase in impressions from U.S. users during the storm, and New York consumers visited weather Web sites five times more often.

When it came to digital retail advertising, conversion rates jumped significantly. There was a 36% increase in conversion rate in the retail sector in the midst of the storm -- on Tuesday, January 27, to be exact -- compared to an average day.

And, similar to the weather Web site data, retail advertisers saw New Yorkers convert at a higher clip than Californians during the storm.

One of the major draws of programmatic ad-buying is that it allows marketers to shift campaigns and budgets on the fly. And while “historic” storms don’t come around often -- or at all, even when promised -- this data gives marketers insight into how consumers react to global (or regional) events.

Netmining's full infographic can be found here.