The Weather Channel is airing a quieter new brand campaign with no mentions of accuracy, no boasts about power of Doppler radar and no shots of weathercasters being blown over by howling winds.
Research says weather is the No. 1 reason people watch local TV news.
And there’s probably no other news story in a local newscast that has as much of a direct effect on every viewer as the weather.
So convincing news viewers to watch one’s stations’ weather forecasts versus the other guys’ has been the focus of station news marketers over the years. And every angle has been promoted — accuracy, experience, technology, personalities, preparation, credentials, education, presentation, graphics and the lot.
But what if you believe you own all of those attributes, what’s left?
Fred Bucher, SVP and CMO at The Weather Channel, says The Weather Channel is “the most trusted news brand in America according to Harris Poll. It’s been for a number of years now. So in terms of equity and awareness, trust and all the things that are so hard to accrue, The Weather Channel has it in spades. We provide the best forecast.”
The Weather Channel is airing a new brand campaign. There’s no mention of accuracy, no boasts about power of Doppler radar and no shots of weathercasters being blown over by howling winds. Instead, the creative is slower and quieter.
The new campaign, Get Into The Out There, is running on The Weather Channel and the network’s social media platforms, but there are plans to reach new audiences off channel.
“We thought it would be nice to turn the camera around and recognize the joy that we all take in the weather,” Bucher says.
“The point of the campaign was to help establish a deeper emotional connection that all of us have with the weather and remind folks that no matter what the conditions, whether we have a storm, a blizzard or a hurricane, or if it is 72 and sunny outside, the connection that you have to the weather is very strong,” he says. “And it’s the reason to tune into us because we share that passion with you.”
The new campaign builds on the network’s past campaign, It’s Amazing Out There.
“Our purpose,” Bucher says, “is to give people the information they need so they can go out into the world and enjoy it and make the most of it. Whether you are watching The Weather Channel or getting your weather information locally, it’s all about getting out there and enjoying it.”
While Bucher admits that the weather forecasts on local TV are certainly a competitor, it’s the utilitarian look people give their phones that’s the real competitor.
“We really corner the market on great weather storytelling that really takes it to another level beyond what you might get from a two-second weather check on your phones,” he says.
Bucher says the network did research to determine the different segments of people who watch, and found, not surprisingly, that people who work outdoors in the weather every day are among them, as are parents and carpool professionals. And don’t forget the weather aficionados, the hard-core weather fans who love to tune in, especially when the weather is extreme.
“We feel like we have to keep our understanding of who our audiences are,” Bucher says. “We recognize that when the weather really gets bad, we work very hard to get you the information that you need that could save lives and save property. And so we take that responsibility very seriously and that is always going to be kind of core to who we are. Our purpose is to give people the information they need so they can go out into the world and enjoy it and make the most of it.”
Hey, the sun’s coming out, time to get outside and enjoy it.
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