As the winter season approaches, many people begin planning their ski vacations. But with the volatility of weather in ski resorts, exacerbated by climate change, it can be a challenge for advertisers to create effective campaigns. After all, people won't hit the slopes if there isn't enough snow to ski, no matter how well you promote the resort.
Our client, a leading European advertising agency, was faced with the task of promoting a travel platform for the winter ski season with the goal of increasing search sessions on the portal. To meet this challenge, the agency partnered with Meteum to create a campaign that used real-time weather data to optimize customer acquisition costs. By serving ads only when conditions were favorable for skiing, the campaign effectively reached potential customers and increased engagement with the travel platform.
Read on to learn how Meteum helped the agency deliver an exceptional advertising campaign.
Step One. Pre-planning
The first step in our process was pre-planning. We provided the agency with historical weather data for each ski resort on the platform, including:
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Average daily temperature
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Snow depth
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Precipitation type: rain, snow, sleet, etc.
This information allowed the agency to evaluate the past impact of weather conditions and snowfall on user interest and search sessions on the portal.
Prior to launching the campaign, the agency conducted qualitative research on the target audience, segmenting them and identifying the scenarios where weather conditions play a significant role. This information helped inform the creative elements of the campaign, such as adding a snow animation to the client's website or changing the background image.
Step Two. Launching the Advertising Campaign.
With a better understanding of the target audience and their likely behavior, the agency moved on to launch the advertising campaign.
Real-Time Nowcasting.
A key aspect of the campaign was the incorporation of real-time weather data. Using Meteum's nowcasting service for rain and snow, the agency was able to adapt the campaign for different regions based on local snow conditions, taking advantage of unexpected snowfall or other weather-related events that could boost or hinder interest in the ski resorts.
To further enhance the user experience, the agency created a "winter weather" subscription service: the platform would push notifications to subscribed users to keep them up to date on the latest weather conditions at ski resorts, making it easier for them to plan their trips.
With Meteum's 10-day weather forecast at their disposal, the agency was able to stay ahead of the curve and plan proactively. For example, if they knew of an impending snowfall over the weekend, they could alert users and entice them to book last-minute trips.
Short-time forecasting.
Users could view the weather forecast by month and choose the ideal ski resort for their vacation. The agency could then optimize the creative elements of the campaign and fine-tune its advertising budget, allocating resources according to the forecast weather at different ski resorts. In addition, knowing the forecast early allowed them to create compelling ad imagery well in advance, in just 3–5 days.
The advertising agency tailored their social media content to the weather forecast, and also set up alerts and emails to inform users of snowfall at specific ski resorts. This helped the agency expand its reach and attract a wider audience to the travel platform.
Step Three. Post-Campaign Analyses.
After the campaign was completed, the agency and their client conducted an econometric study to assess the campaign’s effectiveness. Using historical weather data provided by Meteum, the agency established a clear baseline for search sessions on the travel platform.
This made it possible to evaluate the success of the campaign in driving more target search sessions compared to the previous winter ski season. By conducting a thorough post-campaign analysis (PCA), the agency was able to measure the performance of the campaign and make necessary adjustments for future campaigns.
We are proud to have helped one of the top advertising agencies create a highly successful advertising campaign for the winter ski season. By making strategic adjustments based on weather data, the agency was able to tailor the campaign to their target audience, effectively raising awareness of the travel platform and driving a surge in search sessions on the portal.
The results were nothing short of remarkable, with a 35% YoY boost in search sessions, a 10% uptick in audience retention, and a 22% rise in brand awareness. Infusing weather data into the campaign strategy was a crucial factor in making the campaign cost-effective, reducing the customer acquisition cost (CAC) by 30%.
Are you ready to take your advertising to new heights? Meteum can help you do just that by incorporating weather data into your campaign strategy. By leveraging our platform and API, you'll have access to real-time and historical weather information, allowing you to make informed decisions and effectively target your audience.
With Meteum's short-term forecasting feature, you'll be able to stay ahead of the curve and proactively respond to unexpected weather events. This can lead to increased brand awareness, lower customer acquisition costs, and improved customer retention rates.
Don't let the unpredictability of weather hold you back. Sign up for our free trial at meteum.ai and experience the benefits of weather intelligence for yourself. Meteum’s team of experts will be there to guide you through the process and help you achieve your advertising goals.