The company is running the campaign within The Weather Channel’s iPhone application. Walmart has used mobile advertising in the past to educate consumers about making purchases via its mobile offerings.

“A themed mobile ad can be a traffic and sales driver for marketers if there is a compelling offer attached to the ad,” said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis, Atlanta.

Ms. Troutman is not affiliated with Walmart. She commented based on her expertise on the subject.

Walmart did not respond to press inquiries.

Reeling them in
The Walmart mobile ad creative reads “Reel in great fishing brands at low prices.”

When consumers tap on the ad, a fish swims through.

From there, the ad expands to feature fishing gear that Walmart is selling. Consumers are encouraged to tap on a product to see more details.

There is also a “Get More Gear” tab on the landing page that when tapped on, redirects consumers to the retailer’s mobile site where they can get product information, check out the most top rated products, browse best sellers and view reviews.

Furthermore, consumers can filter their search by price, view the products in a gallery mode and use the search functionality on the top of the screen if they want to find a specific product.

There is also a store locator feature that shows consumers where the nearest Walmart store is.

By using rich media, Walmart is enticing consumers to tap on the ad. Rich media creates more of an engagement between a brand and customer, instead of a traditional static banner ad.

More companies are turning to the technology to engage consumers with their products in a new, innovative way.

“Once an ad is clicked, retention is key,” Ms. Troutman said. “Make the click-through worth the consumers’ time.”

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York