Provide Advertising Services Utilizing Weather Data

Le Grand Co., Ltd.

Publication date	May 10, 2024 (Posted on May 30, 2025)
Sector	Industrial and Economic Activities / Life of Citizenry and Urban Life

Company Overview

Le Grand Co., Ltd. is a digital agency founded by the founding members of Overture, a pioneer in performance-based advertising. With 18 years of experience and achievements in the digital marketing domain, Le Grand supports domestic and international companies in promoting DX and developing and implementing marketing strategies based on the theme of data-driven UX design. In 2017, we developed “TNQL(Tenkyuru)”, a weather-based service that has since attracted approximately 260,000 users. In 2022, we developed “weathermarketing.net” (patented), a weather-linked ad delivery tool, and is working to create a new advertising experience for the post-cookie era.

Climate Change Impacts

Changes in "weather patterns" due to recent climate change are having a significant impact on consumer behavior. Consumers' purchasing intentions and moods are also influenced by the weather, and it is said that about 30% of the products and services worldwide experiences sales fluctuations based on weather conditions.

Adaptation Initiatives

We have developed weathermarketing.net®, a weather-linked ad delivery tool that utilizes weather data to recommend products and services tailored to each individual’s situation and preferences. This service has been available since July 2021 (Note 1, Fig. 1).

weathermarketing.net® has three distinct features:

• Weather-targeted ads (Fig. 2)
  Based on weather data for approximately 370,000 locations across Japan, updated hourly, the system automatically controls the delivery, activation, and deactivation of ads according to the weather conditions at the user's location, store, or facility.
• Integration with major advertising platforms
  With weathermarketing.net®, weather-responsive ads can be delivered on Google, YouTube, Yahoo!, Facebook, Instagram, GeoLogic, and other major advertising platforms.
• Responds to a variety of weather patterns
  Ad serving conditions can be set according to various weather patterns, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed for 24 to 48 hours ahead, temperature differences from the previous day, a weather summary for the next 7 days, maximum/minimum temperatures, probability of precipitation, and pollen.

In April 2024, we began offering weather-linked advertising by integrating weathermarketing.net® and GeoLogic Ad, a smartphone location-based advertising service by GeoLogic Inc. For example, when it is raining near store or facility, the system automatically switches ad creatives to display rainy-day coupons, encouraging nearby potential customers to visit.

In addition, since 2017, we have been offering TNQL, a fashion tech service that analyzes big data on weather conditions and suggests coordinated outfits that match the users’ preferences based on changes in weather and temperature. In 2020, we developed and launched TNQL API which can be implemented in websites and apps.

The TNQL API is an AI-powered API (Fig. 3) that analyzes the correlation between weather data and factors such as product sales, store visits, user browsing behavior and purchase history. Based on these insights, it displays relevant products, services, and recommendations on corporate websites and apps (Note 2). The TNQL API is available in both free and paid versions, enabling weather-driven marketing.

	Free Version	Paid Version
Location Information	Approximately 300 pre-specified locations in Japan, including prefectural capitals and major airports.	User location information obtained from GPS, facilities, stores, and other “specified” locations in Japan and around the world.
Services	・The latest weather forecasts and recommendations for weather-appropriate outfits. ・Easily verify the usage and effectiveness of weather data on your own website and apps.	・The latest weather forecasts and recommendations for weather-appropriate outfits. ・Provide a customized version of the API if you wish to recommend your own products or content based on the weather.

In addition to these services, we have developed and are providing services with Hit Co., Ltd., which specializes in outdoor advertising. This includes “HIT Weather”, a new system that delivers advertisements on digital boards shared by HIT, tailored to real-time weather conditions.

Effects / Expected Benefits

The use of weathermarketing.net® is expected to maximize marketing effectiveness by delivering timely and relevant advertisements based on weather conditions that align with consumer needs. For example, on days when rain is forecast, ads for umbrellas, raincoats, and indoor activities will be enhanced, while on hot days, ads for cold beverages, air conditioning, and summer leisure products will be more effective. The latest weather forecast and coordination suggestions provided by TNQL API are expected to increase user engagement and web page views across media platforms and apps, thereby creating various business opportunities. For example, major low-cost airlines that have implemented TNQL API, can not only book flight tickets but also check weather forecasts and coordination suggestions for their travel destinations while planning their trips. This has also improved user convenience.