This story is a new follow-up on a series of articles about Hybrid Environ — a tool for targeting by environmental data. Today we’ll consider how outdoor air quality can trigger a purchase.
In fact, we developed this type of targeting specially for one of our client's campaigns. And now, at the time of writing of this article, we’re shortlisted for European Mixx Award.
Air targeting
91% of the Earth’s population lives in places where the level of air pollution exceeds the norm set by WHO.
Polluted air contains dangerous elements like toxic ozone, hydrogen sulfide, suspended particles (mixtures of sulphates, nitrates, etc.), and ammonia. Invisible to human eyes, they yet present a health hazard causing a number of medical conditions beginning from relatively common ones like shortness of breath and cough, and ending with lung cancer, stroke, etc.
Therefore in a new ad campaign run jointly with a brand of air purifiers, we decided to focus on the problem of air pollution. We developed a targeting by environmental situation in a particular location and introduced a new solution on Hybrid Platform.
How it works
Hybrid Platform automatically receives actual data on air pollution levels and presence of suspended particles and toxic gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide in the biggest cities.
Data is provided via API every 5 seconds by City Air web portal. Pollution level is determined according to the internationally recognized scale named Air Quality Index.
1 point - Everything is fine. Open up the windows! The air is clear!
2-3 points - Nothing to worry about. Time to get some fresh air!
4-5 points - Mild pollution. Unsafe for people with allergies!
6-7 points - Serious pollution. Time to use an air purifier!
8-10 points. Extreme pollution. Health alert!
Each air pollution level triggers a specific ad message. If AQI ranking changes, the ad creative dynamically adapts the message. The ad itself reports about air quality and offers a related product or service.
Geographical coverage
The ad campaign covers the largest cities and can be displayed on millions of websites and mobile apps.
Users get up-to-date information about environmental conditions in their cities along with user-friendly argumentation. It is typically an alert on possible health hazards and a suggestion of a product whose features may be valuable under current conditions.
How to use
Air quality targeting is especially relevant in summer when in addition to emissions from plants and factories, car traffic increases.
This targeting works even if air quality is perfectly fine. For instance, you can advertise outdoor events or supply and exhaust ventilation systems for private properties.
If air quality ranking exceeds 3 points, it enables ads of air purifiers and humidifiers alongside allergy, respiratory and cardiovascular drugs.
|
|
Air Quality targeting put into practice
We informed users of air pollution levels in their locations and suggested using an air purifier and humidifier to improve it. The ads were displayed in June, the month when air pollution figures are highest.
Geo targeting – big cities with consistently low air quality (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Saratov, Tomsk) and cities with unstable pollution levels (Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Dzerzhinsk, Iskitim, Blagoveshchensk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk).
Ad creatives were displayed to two groups of target audience:
- People with allergies or asthma
- People leading a healthy lifestyle
The campaign was triggered by air quality rankings from 3 to 10, meaning there are some hazardous particles in the outdoor air. Ad messages were dynamically changing depending on the pollution level. Each time they were offering gentle suggestions on how to solve the problem.
Native, discreet, user-friendly. This how we managed to highlight the air quality problem and promote a product which offers a solution to it (air purifier/humidifier) in a native and unobtrusive way.
To learn more details about how you can use Air targeting for your ad campaign, leave an application here.
