Stella Artois Cidre runs weather-activated ads

Stella Artois is trying to make the unpredictability of the British summer an irrelevance by running weather-activated outdoor adverts for its Cidre brands.

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Stella Artois is hoping to make the vagaries of the British summer an irrelevance with weather-activated ads.

The outdoor effort takes over digital out-of-home ad spots when the temperature rises two degrees or more above the average in that specific location. Anything below, and the advert will not appear. It serves up a scene of handpicked apples with the brewer looking to highlight the cider’s taste at times when people are most likely to impulse buy.

It is the first time AB Inbev has served weather-activated, location-based ads in real-time and the company plans to expand the approach to other brands such as Budweiser and Beck’s depending on how successful it is. The activity, developed in partnership with Posterscope and Liveposter, is part of a wider summer campaign launched last month.

Andy Logan, marketing manager at Stella Artois Cidre, says: “ This innovative media mechanic is yet another way we are pushing the boundaries through digital technologies to be relevant to our consumers, at just the right time.”

Cider sales are still dependent on the British weather, despite the efforts of brewers to extend its year-round appeal.

The launch reflects a shift across the FMCG sector where those brands susceptible to the vagaries of British summer are using outdoor media to deliver more relevant adverts.

Costa Coffee is currently working with CBS Outdoor to run a series of weather-activated ads on the London Underground over the summer. When the temperature exceeds 22 degrees an advert for the company’s Ice Cold Costa coffee appears with the strapline “A big fruit boost with an ice cold zing”. Each station-specific advert will then provide accurate information on where commuters can find their nearest cup of Ice Cold Costa from the escalator at the station.

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