The complete guide for weather-triggered advertising

Weather ads use current weather and forecasts of a given area to deliver more relevant advertisements. By using location data, weather-triggered advertising can create contextual and personalized messaging for users that elicit an emotional response and drive them to make purchases.

With weather-based ads, advertisers can control where and when an ad is placed in front of a consumer depending on the forecast. For example, advertisers can choose only to show an ad when the sun is out or when it’s a cloudy day. Alternatively, they can only show an ad when it’s above a certain degree or when flurries and a snowstorm is approaching.

The link between weather and advertising

Weather impacts one’s daily life and activities and is a huge driver of emotions. Many people express that they have more feelings of sadness during the winter months or when it’s raining outside. About 5% of adults in the U.S. experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Even more people suffer from a lesser form known as “winter blues.” While we all know that emotions impact purchase behavior, the weather is often an overlooked factor regarding one’s mood and whether one feels excited about purchasing something.

Weather also influences what products a consumer needs. For example, a coat in the wintertime or a bathing suit and flip-flops in the summer. As an advertiser, you want to be mindful of what area of the world you are placing advertisements in since it doesn’t make sense to advertise a winter coat in California year-round when it’s above 60 degrees most of the year. It also doesn’t make sense to advertise a winter coat in Massachusetts at 50 degrees, but it may make sense when consumers experience the same temperature in Miami. By using location data and weather-triggered information, you can create more relevant campaigns that turn into conversions.

How effective is weather-based advertising?

Weather is the original influencer. It affects all businesses and people globally and is an unbiased signal that impacts consumers’ feelings. As a result, leveraging weather insights is an effective way to connect with consumers in a personalized and scalable way.

The importance of weather targeting

Weather is an important but often overlooked component of the sales process. Here are some of the top reasons’ advertisers should start incorporating weather-based addressable advertising into their strategy.

Weather impacts buying patterns

To drive more effective advertising, you’ll want to account for various seasonal triggers that actively influence buying behavior. For example, beer, suntan lotion, and deodorant sales increase in June. Knowing this, it’s probably a good idea to increase media budgets so companies can capitalize on this shopping behavior. On the other hand, companies specializing in baking mixes, warm apparel, or batteries should consider expanding their advertising efforts starting in November since this is when you can expect sales to increase for these items.

Weather impacts mood

Consumer mindsets change at the start of each new season. Generally, consumers feel a sense of optimism, leading to an increase in spending. In fact, 21%1 of those surveyed noted that the arrival of fall makes them excited to update their wardrobe. For Gen Z, this number is even higher (39%).

Weather can affect whether consumers shop online or in-person

Weather also has a dramatic effect on how users choose to engage with your brand. For example, if it’s a particularly hot day in the summertime, shoppers may be more inclined to go to an air-conditioned mall to make a purchase. If it’s a snowy day in winter, though, shoppers may opt for online shopping to avoid inclement weather. Knowing this behavior, advertisers can adapt their strategy to align and boost sales in person or online.

Minimal changes in temperature can drive big results

It’s important to note that even small changes in weather can greatly impact sales. Just a small dip in temperature can get people in the mood to start putting on their coats and drinking hot cocoa. In some parts of the country, 60 degrees may feel quite warm after a long winter, and it wouldn’t be surprising if sales of ice cream could go up during springtime.

The benefits of using weather forecasting tools for advertising

Weather forecasting tools are a good way for advertisers to dive into weather-based advertising and start achieving their goals. Here are just some of the benefits.

Deliver more relevant messaging

Weather forecasting technology allows your team to access insightful weather data, which can be used to create more relevant ads for your target audience. With weather forecasting data, you can complement previous insights and trends that your team has derived to make better decisions. For example, you can see that in colder weather, soup and hot chocolate sales tend to increase.

Knowing this, you can target specific groups to increase engagement before a snowstorm or during a particularly cold week. Personalized content is becoming more important than ever to consumers. Brands that want to stay competitive utilize weather ads to deliver more personalized content to end-users. Applying AI and dynamic creative optimization allows you to use weather insights to deliver the right message at scale across your advertising ecosystem based on the weather forecast.

Increase marketing ROI

Weather-triggered advertising can also be good for your company’s ROI. By better targeting customers based on what’s relevant to them, you can anticipate an increase in leads, conversions, and, eventually, the retention of customers. One study found that companies with a clearly defined marketing-led personalization function were 38% more likely to earn 400% ROI or more than their counterparts.

Personalize your campaigns

Individualized ads are becoming increasingly important. Fifty-two percent of customers expect offers to always be personalized. Unfortunately, companies are falling short of these rising expectations. 66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, but only 34% of companies generally treat customers as individuals.2 Neglecting to create personalized experiences can cause you to lose customers in the short term and tarnish your brand reputation in the long run.

The steps to incorporate weather ads into your strategy

Are you ready to begin implementing weather-triggered advertising into your strategy? Here are the steps to get started.

Leverage AI to make data-driven decisions

It’s easy to make assumptions when creating a strategy around the weather. However, conclusions should be based on data so that you can make the most informed decisions possible.

For example, an ice cream seller may assume that as temperatures increase, sales will also increase. However, higher temperatures may also mean ice cream could melt in the car. So, instead, people may stay indoors in the air conditioning and eat a popsicle from their freezer.

Additionally, 67%1 of those surveyed said fall made them crave richer and more comforting foods, especially when it is stormy. 69% agree that fall impacts their grocery purchases. For food manufacturers and grocery stores, these insights can help determine which products to promote and when, based on the weather forecast. Because so many factors influence advertising decisions, concentrate on concrete data and machine learning.

AI advertising can help by providing more insights. In any campaign, it’s important not to make assumptions about how a product performs in a specific climate. By using large amounts of data and artificial intelligence, you can spot trends to help determine how to create more impactful campaigns tailored to the weather conditions around them.

Consider your demographic

It’s also important to consider the demographic you’re targeting with weather-based ads. This is because the same weather can feel different to various groups of people based on the city in which they live. For example, while 50 degrees in Miami can feel chilly to locals and lead to an increase in sales for coats, 50 degrees in April in Boston would indicate springtime weather.

Use high-quality weather forecasting data

The insights you derive from your AI advertising solution can only be as accurate as the information on which it is based. Unfortunately, bad data quality is a problem for most organizations. According to a 2020 survey, less than half of respondents (46%) had a formal data governance strategy in place. For organizations that prioritize AI, clean data is fundamental.

This is why it is so important to use high-quality forecasting data. Solutions use forecasting data from the airport level. However, The Weather Company can leverage high-quality information from various sources, such as cell phone sensors, for higher resolution data that can derive more detailed insights.

Examples of weather-triggered advertising

Several examples of companies across industries have used weather-triggered advertising to aid their strategy and boost their revenue.

Industries that can benefit from weather-based advertising

Retail and sales

Retail has been a very volatile industry over the past year. In fact, 46% of US consumers surveyed by Periscope by McKinsey have made a switch of brands or retailers over the past few months. Therefore, having a strong advertising strategy is more important than ever. With e-commerce spending increasing exponentially throughout the pandemic, rising 30% from the beginning of March 2020 to mid-April 2020, retailers should consider strengthening their strategy by further personalizing their messaging.3 Tactics, such as weather-based advertising can fit well into this equation.

Retailers also need to consider how the weather will impact what products will be bought. This can help them decide which products to show in-store near the register for impulse buys (for example, mittens in the winter or umbrellas on a rainy day) and which products would be better to advertise.

Apparel manufacturers

Apparel manufacturers should also consider implementing weather ads into their advertising strategy. People need different kinds of clothes based on their region and the weather they are experiencing. For example, on a particularly cold week, you can advertise coats. For a warmer week in the winter, you may pause campaigns related to snow pants or gloves.

Grocery stores

People also change their grocery list and buying behavior based on what the weather will be like. Before a bad storm, people often buy in bulk and stock up on essential items like bread, eggs, and pasta. Additionally, when the weather is warm, people may be more likely to purchase watermelon or other summertime treats.

Insurance

Insurance companies must also be mindful of the weather and how it impacts the need for insurance. One way to do so is if data shows there will be an influx of severe weather. One way to do so is if data is showing there will be an influx of severe weather. Knowing this, insurance companies can time their advertisements with upcoming storms to remind people of the benefits of insuring their homes and properties.

Automotive

Automotive advertising campaigns can also leverage weather-triggered advertising to achieve powerful results. Automotive companies can leverage weather insights to determine which types of cars to promote and when consumers are most likely to buy. For instance, weather data can highlight ideal moments to encourage consumers to test drive a car or showcase EV charging stations. Subaru, a brand known for prioritizing safety, partnered with The Weather Company to reinforce its mission during severe weather conditions. Together they created the Driving Difficulty Index (DDI) Commuter Forecast Tool, leveraging accurate weather data and maps from The Weather Channel. This initiative allowed Subaru to reach drivers with real time updates on upcoming storms, resulting in impressive engagement and bolstering its safety-focused reputation.

Weather-based advertising case studies

Weather insights provide unique opportunities for brands to connect with consumers. Below are two examples of how weather data drives impactful campaigns:

Subaru’s Safety-Focused Weather Campaign

Subaru partnered with The Weather Company to enhance driver awareness during severe weather. The Driving Difficulty Index (DDI) Commuter Forecast Tool was formed to deliver real-time updates about storm conditions allowing Subaru to connect with drivers when it mattered most. This collaboration utilized The Weather Company’s accurate weather data and maps to not only reach audiences during critical moments but also result in impressive engagement on The Weather Channel.

Two ice cream brands leverage weather data to drive sales

Two leading ice cream brands wanted to drive more sales during the summer season. The Weather Company leveraged the brands’ sales data and custom weather analysis to determine which conditions impacted product sales the most.

Leveraging these insights, the ice cream brands saw:

• 26% increase in sales
• $1.23 overall ROI
• 35% waste reduction
• Adjusted delivery in real time (accounting for extreme weather events)

Challenges in weather-based advertising

As a result of climate change and the tools available, there are a number of challenges advertisers will face when trying to implement weather ads.

Seasonal norms may change

The fall 2022 season looks to have warmer temperatures, which could prolong spending associated with summer. As climate change continues to impact the weather, it’s important for advertisers to be agile. Brands that fail to adapt their strategy based on the current forecast will miss opportunities to connect with their audiences.

Leveraging location data

Not all weather targeting solutions leverage machine learning and location data into their algorithms. It’s important for brands to understand how different weather conditions feel to audiences across the world.

Why use Weather Targeting?

Weather Targeting uses AI algorithms to collect the most accurate weather forecast data available to help you create highly targeted advertising campaigns that don’t rely on third-party cookies. By better anticipating your customers’ needs and buying habits, you can improve your ad effectiveness, create more personalized experiences, and drive leads and conversions that boost your business.

Ready to learn more about weather-triggered advertising? Check out Weather Targeting, an AI solution, or contact us today.