Take Your Brand to the Beach

Weather Channel Branding

I love the Weather Channel. I don’t watch it on television (who has time for that!) but I love visiting the website to see what I can expect from the sky. The Weather Channel doesn’t just offer you forecasts and weather-related news from around the world. It always has interesting articles and photos that don’t seem entirely weather-related but are clearly interesting to us weather fiends. So when I came across the awesome link for “Amazing Aerials of Beaches Around the World,” I had to click. And as usual, I was not disappointed.

Before seeing these amazing images I had never really thought about a beach from any other perspective but from the sand with a good book and a lot of sunscreen.

This new view shows beaches beyond the sand and surf and lends an appreciation for the colors and patterns that exist there. That change in perspective made me wonder how The Weather Channel has taken something mundane (is it raining?!) and translated it to something so entertaining and engaging. So how did it accomplish this feat? The Weather Channel brand is one that can be relied on for up-to-date weather, anywhere in the world. But, it has stretched the brand into one that allows its visitors to think about life through the filter of the weather.

Successful brand stretch can only be completed when you have a deep and intimate knowledge of your brand, and how its pillars can translate to additional customer benefits. We experience product extensions all the time as brands seek to grow, diversify, and remain relevant. A favorite example is Arm & Hammer’s baking soda extensions into oral care, laundry soap, and odor eliminators (I love the toothpaste). But stretching the brand experience is a more difficult thing to achieve. In the case of The Weather Channel, it knows its business is weather. But, it has created something far more dynamic than just a place to get an accurate forecast. What is your brand doing to get a fresh perspective? Perhaps a stretch on the beach is just what it needs.

Connect With Us