Background & Challenge

Very Media, a UK-based media agency, and Cavendish Consulting, a creative agency, were tasked by Southern Water to encourage households to “make one change” and help reduce water usage, particularly during periods of greater demand. The challenge? Deliver summer-specific water conservation messaging only on days when the weather heightened the relevance - and urgency - of the message.

Why Weather Was Critical

Research and past experience showed that water-saving appeals resonate most when reinforced by hot, dry conditions. Aligning ad delivery with high temperatures was key for both message timing and audience receptivity.
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Approach

• Platforms: The campaign spanned multiple channels: Google Display Network, Facebook and Instagram.

• Targeting: Using geo-targeted segments across selected UK postcodes ensured budget efficiency and neighborhood-level relevance.

• WeatherAds Setup: Very Media set up a multi-location automation within WeatherAds, triggering ads to activate or pause based on real-time temperature thresholds. Campaigns only ran when the mercury rose above a specified threshold —maximizing impression value during days with the strongest behavioural levers.

The Results

• Met Awareness Objectives: The campaign efficiently delivered the water-saving message on days when it would be most impactful, meeting the primary awareness goal for Southern Water.

• Award Recognition: The innovative use of weather targeting earned industry acclaim, with the campaign being submitted for awards in part for its strategic use of WeatherAds.

• Client Feedback: “WeatherAds allowed us to precisely schedule our campaign to only serve the water conservation message when it would be best received.” — Eleanor DeLong, Media Director, Very Media

Campaign Efficiency

While immediate impact was gauged through post-campaign surveys and longer-term metrics like reductions in water use, the weather-responsive summer phase exemplified high message relevancy without wasting impressions during less opportune weather days.

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Key takeaways

• Hyper-Contextual Delivery: By synchronizing ad serving with real-time local temperatures, Very Media ensured maximum relevance and minimized waste.

• Award-Worthy Execution: The campaign’s innovative approach in media scheduling demonstrated the power of weather-based automation for public service messaging in the utilities sector.

• Scalable Model: This approach can serve as a blueprint for other industries or public campaigns relying on environmental triggers such as hot weather for message timing.
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“WeatherAds allowed us to precisely schedule our campaign to only serve the water conservation message when it would be best received.”

— Eleanor DeLong, Media Director, Very Media