And Now for the Weather…

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to our sponsored segment where we explore the climactic world of uncommon advertising through the lens of common weather patterns.

And, insomuch as the weather can be an unpredictable companion to daily life, advertising, too, varies in its dosage of impact on the audiences it seeks to serve. Here is a look at 10 of the most prevalent weather systems as they compare to the advertising that surrounds you.

It’s not always sunny in Ad Land. Even if the clouds obscure the honeyed rays of well-being, they still create a sense of shadow and mystery followed by practitioners of interactive advertising – who engage their mobile-addicted audiences by encouraging participation, inducing interaction and prompting reciprocation so that they are left feeling intrigued, curious and maybe a little click-baited.

But when it gets really sunny, advertising suggests that you put on your shades because the foreseeable future is as bright as the edge of a knife. Practitioners of positive reinforcement help radiate a cheer and shine a smile by highlighting the startling benefits of the brands they serve to spread warmth, positivity and the first sentence of a desired love story.

Of course, not all love stories end with, well… love. Which explains why rainy days, like Mondays, can evoke a range of emotions. From feverish optimism and anticipatory joy to a pinched nerve and a punched gut. Practitioners of emotional advertising sit beside their audience, hold hands, and connect emotionally through meaningful storytelling, worded with sentimental themes.

Some relationships can leave you at a loss for words. Just as fog can obscure visibility yet create a sense of mystery, subliminal advertising operates below the surface, quietly operating its brand of magic in such a way that it gets under the skin of prospects – all the time subtly influencing perceptions, decisions and behaviours without the abrupt cognisance manifested by most forms of communication.

Its passion and frenzy can be seen and heard from miles away – creating both wonder and dread. Practitioners of shock in advertising want to grab hold of your attention (eyes, ears and breath) through provocative and controversial content, designed to spark reactions, flint discussions and flare altercations all the way to the moon and back.

When you find yourself in a pristine landscape of uninterrupted harmony, then you are among brands who want to instil a desire for simplicity and elegance in you. Practitioners of minimalist advertising apply extra effort to effortlessly convey clarity and concision through messaging with minimal and minimalist elements.

The ‘winds of change,’ like any cliché, are always blowing through advertising. But when practitioners manufacture and leverage viral strategies, they succeed in designing content that spreads far and wide through social sharing and word-of-mouth in order to reach a broad audience (of doom-scrollers, mostly) in as little time as possible.

When it rains, it scores. Dodging marketing bullets is not a breeze. When a competitor decides to out-compete its rivals, be prepared to be outnumbered and outgunned by aggressive advertising tactics that will pound the market, using audacity and risk to capture attention and drive immediate action from consumers.

Tornados enjoy upending order and civility. In the manner that they disrupt everything in their path, practitioners of disruptive advertising challenge norms, traditions and conventions to create grounds for a hotbed of innovation that stands out in the market.

A clear day offers visibility, transparency and the easy luxury of a perceived continuum. Practitioners of informative advertising provide long-form messaging with clarity and transparency to educate consumers about products and services that often require more deliberation before settling for a purchase.

That’s your top 10 weather patterns. Time to return to our regular programming…

Faraz Maqsood Hamidi is Chief Creative Officer and CEO, The D’Hamidi Partnership, a worldwide partner agency of WPI.