Lets Talk About The Weather

3 Minutes
Sara Armitage

Let’s talk about the weather

We’re well known in the UK for making small talk about the weather. Rarely a social interaction goes by where one of us doesn’t bring up the weather conditions in some way or other.

In 2018 The Independent reported on research by Bristol Airport which showed that the average British person spends 10 minutes a day or 1 hour a week discussing the weather.

Our climate is typically changeable and unpredictable. Take the recent weather of high, summer-like temperatures to be followed shortly by snow and icy winds.

So, from a marketing perspective things can be a bit tricky if you’ve got weather related goods and services.  In the past we’ve seen the typical adverts for suncream, BBQs and icecream in Summer and woollies and de-icer in Winter, all a bit limited but a safe bet.

These days however, as with most things, technology has improved weather forecasting and data is much more accurate and location specific.  This has played a big part in brands being able to hone in on short-term, weather related sales.

Weather affects where we go, what we wear, what we eat, our mood and even our holiday planning.  Weather data is therefore the perfect tool for providing insight into a consumer’s likely purchase habits at a particular time and can open up more sales opportunities.  But you have to be on the ball.

Weather targeting or weather-based advertising is the practice of pushing a product to a specific audience based on what the weather is doing outside their window.  If you understand your customer, how they use your product and how they behave in response to certain weather conditions, this can provide an opportunity for encouraging the use of your service or product.

Just a change in temperature of a few degrees can have a huge impact, bearing in mind however that the change is relative to seasonal norms, dependent on location. So where can you find help with weather data?

One way to tap into weather data is via a weather-targeting platform such as WeatherAds, a weather targeting software for PPC marketers where you can set up automated weather-based rules for AdWords, Facebook and Instagram campaigns, trigger ads, modify bids and change creative based on all types of weather.

There are some good examples of how weather-based targeting can work and improve ROI.  Stella Artois for example runs an OOH campaign for its Cidre which only appears on billboards when the temperature is 20 C above the monthly norm.

There are many providers of weather analytics software, such as WeatherTrends360.com which can provide long term forecasts, as well as up-to-the-minute weather information that helps companies plan and benefit from the impact weather, can have.

Utilising live weather data is a great way to help companies tap into these weather-driven patterns of demand and consumer behaviour. For starters, it provides an opportunity to get in touch and legitimises communication, with messages that are timely, relevant and appropriate. And secondly will hopefully result in a purchase, if not this time, then next.

Weather is a huge factor in consumer purchase particularly here in the UK.  Whether you sell antihistamine, burgers or wellingtons, it’s advantageous to know what the weather will do.  Not only will it help your sales but your customers will be happier with you too.

And if you need support creating marketing campaigns for any type of weather, Wish are here to help.

 

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