Marketer’s guide: Creating meaningful brand connections before, during, and after extreme weather

June marks the official start of hurricane season. The Weather Channel meteorologists are forecasting a less active season than last year, but U.S. landfall risk remains above average. The impacts of changing weather are nearly impossible to ignore. Consumers are feeling these shifts firsthand, with extreme weather events becoming a year-round reality, not just seasonal occurrences.

This shift is fundamentally altering how people prepare for, respond to, and think about weather-related events in their daily lives. Not only do people report seeing more unusual weather activity for their location and season, the impact is widespread. In fact, a staggering 9 out of 10 respondents have been personally impacted by extreme weather in just the past two years.¹

2024 hurricane season recap

The 2024 hurricane season confirmed it: Weather patterns are changing. This past season broke numerous records with 18 named tropical storms, 11 of which became hurricanes.² Of these, five intensified to major hurricanes making landfall in the U.S., with two reaching Category 5 strength — a phenomenon that has occurred only five times since 1950.³ As for the records in 2024: Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 on record, arriving two months before peak season. Hurricane Helene stands out historically because it affected areas of the country that don’t usually see hurricane effects, like North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.⁴

This tells us seasonal preparedness is an always-on need, with consumers seeking trusted guidance and solutions year round. So, how do we prepare for and recover from the seemingly inevitable impact of extreme weather events that now include not just hurricanes, but also wildfires, tornados, winter storms, and flooding?

We don’t have to go it alone and — the good news for marketers —  consumers don’t want to. People turn to brands, products, and services they trust the most ahead of, during, and after weather events. In fact, 94% of people expect brands to step up to help communities affected by weather events.⁵ This gives marketers across CPG, energy, health, insurance, and retail, an invitation to show up with empathy, authenticity, and support when it matters most.

The new normal: Extreme weather beyond hurricanes

The evidence surrounds us: Winter wildfires spread through Southern California, the Carolinas,⁶ and even Long Island due to unusually dry conditions and strong winds⁷ — cementing that fire season now extends year round. Meanwhile, 2024 saw the second-highest tornado count on record, including San Francisco receiving its first-ever tornado warning.⁸ And maybe most surprisingly, all 50 states experienced snowfall this winter.⁹ Florida recorded its heaviest snowstorm ever, with Milton delivering over nine inches — doubling the state’s previous record from 1954.¹⁰

These weather events aren’t just meteorological anomalies — they’re a new normal reshaping consumer anxiety, behavior, and expectations. Our recent survey on The Weather Channel app asked consumers how they feel about changing weather, revealing:

Interestingly, Gen Z (67%) and Millennials (66%) are even more convinced of weather’s increasing volatility.¹⁴ For marketers, this signals an important shift: consumers increasingly expect brands to acknowledge and address these climate realities.

The far-reaching effects of weather

The impact of extreme weather is sweeping, significantly touching many aspects of people’s lives. Outside of the physical impact to property, electricity and air quality weather also impacts mental health and decision making:

• 40% of those surveyed reported heightened anxiety due to weather events. This increased stress affects all generations, especially younger ones¹⁵
• 84% of people admit weather plays a role in their decision-making process¹⁶
• 1 in 4 have considered, or would consider, moving because of extreme weather conditions¹⁷

Preparing for changing weather

Checking the weather has become second nature: 99% check the weather more often when extreme weather events are forecasted, up 18% over the last four years.¹⁸ For most, it’s to secure safety for themselves, friends and family, while others are interested in the science of weather phenomena, or want to understand how they might help.

When it comes to critical safety and preparedness information, people rely on weather websites and apps above all other media sources, including government alerts:

This trust becomes especially evident during weather events, when people most need reliable information. For example, there’s a:

• 32% increase in The Weather Channel digital visits²¹ and 64% increase in app downloads during winter storms²²
• 23% increase in The Weather Channel digital visits²³ and 78% increase in app downloads during hurricane events²⁴

Stocking up and charging up

We’ve all been there: faced with rapidly emptying shelves of supplies and essentials as storms approach. Meanwhile, early planners prepare ahead of the season with fully-stocked emergency kits of non-perishables, flashlights, batteries, and first aid. People prepare for extreme weather in both proactive and reactive ways. The most common preparation behaviors include stocking up on supplies like groceries, medication, and air purifiers; securing back-up energy sources; and protecting homes, yards, and vehicles.

Brands can authentically help customers weather the storm

It’s a sensitive topic, for sure. Brands may feel uncertain about how to engage when people are in some of their most stressful, vulnerable moments. When actually, people expect the support and assistance — whether it’s providing preparedness tips or essential supplies like medication, power, and groceries.

A strategic weather moment marketing approach aligns brands across the full weather journey:

• Weather preparedness: Connect before incoming weather during high-intent planning moments when preparation activities are happening
• Active weather: Reach engaged audiences seeking critical information
• Weather response: Support local communities, building meaningful connections during recovery
• Weather ready: Create year-round relevance through seasonal preparedness messaging

Brands can show up meaningfully at every stage of the weather experience. Two brands leading the way with this approach:

TruFuel’s full-funnel lift and engagement

TruFuel, a maker of pre-packaged, precision-engineered outdoor equipment fuel, harnessed the power of a weather-driven strategy.

By tapping into their authentic desire to help consumers be prepared for extreme weather conditions, TruFuel dynamically aligned messaging with real-time, local weather. This targeted campaign was activated across The Weather Channel properties and digital ecosystem through Adform. The contextual messaging highlighted the importance of keeping generators, chainsaws, snowblowers, and other equipment ready when weather strikes.

The moment marketing approach delivered impressive results for the brand, including:

EcoFlow’s weather-driven preparedness strategy

EcoFlow, a leading provider of eco-friendly power solutions, understood a fundamental human need: safety and preparedness in the face of nature.

Their weather-driven strategy connected with people across The Weather Channel app and the digital ecosystem through The Trade Desk, and Meta with supportive messaging before weather strikes. This approach drove exceptional results, including a 2x higher conversion rate during the week following Hurricane Idalia’s landfall in 2023.²⁸

Secure your weather strategy

Brands can play a crucial role – and can build trust and loyalty by providing resources and support to people in need. As the world’s most accurate forecaster,³² we can help you harness Mother Nature to deliver empathetic messages when people need it most:

• Leverage Weather Targeting to integrate your preparedness message across the digital ecosystem. It automates media using weather as an activation signal so that brands can reach people during critical moments.
• Align your brand with seasonal preparedness content on The Weather Channel digital properties that provides people with information that help them stay safe and make informed decisions.

Weather is a reality we can’t ignore. But with it comes the chance for brands to help consumers navigate, with preparedness before, support during, and resilience after the storm. Will your brand be there when consumers need you most?