Leveraging Weather Data for In-Store Messaging Experiences
Advertisers have long been concerned with the impact that weather has on the efficacy of their digital advertising but it has only been recently that they have been able to leverage that data for the benefit of their campaigns - and it just keeps getting better.
Swirl Networks and AccuWeather have announced a partnership that will bring real-time weather targeting capabilities indoors - that's right - in-store. Marketers/retailers using the Swirl platform will be able to access AccuWeather's data sets and trigger in-store messages and advertising based on shopper's local weather conditions (weather forecast conditions, temperature, wind, precipitation, UV index, pollen count, and more). Marketers can pre-configure campaign content based on any combination of in-store location and weather conditions, as well as shopper behaviors including aisle dwell time, recency, and frequency of store visits.
The applications are interesting and nearly endless. A retail pharmacy, for example, could deliver a message about allergy medicine (or an entirely branded experience) to shoppers cruising the aisles when the pollen count reaches a certain amount, or a message about lip balm.
"Retailers and advertisers are constantly looking for ways to engage with consumers in the most meaningful, relevant ways," said David Mitchell, Vice President of Digital Media, Emerging Platforms at AccuWeather. "In partnership with Swirl, AccuWeather has combined outdoor weather conditions and indoor location into a powerful new contextual layer for marketers. This new capability is poised to take right time and place marketing to the next level."
