The Psychology Behind Associations and How Weather Affect Consumer Behavior

Photo by Ben Duchac, Unsplash

It’s 6:30 am… And the alarm is off.

“Rise and shine” is our early morning greeting as we wake from our night slumbers. After sleeping for hours, our eyes begin to adjust to the light and our surroundings. Rise and shine, indeed. 

The 1800s phrase was used to get soldiers eager and energized for another day of battle. Today, it has associated sunshine with having a positive attitude. What we battle now, as you’ll see, are brands that use associations by design to influence consumer behavior.

In our efforts to get up and prepare ourselves for the day, we often aren’t aware of the degree to which the weather affects us. Without our permission, it chooses our outfits every day. Comfort and practicality may be important factors, but only the weather can truly determine them. 

• Rain? Raincoat, rain boots, umbrella. 

• Windy? Turtlenecks, sweats, layers.

• Cold? Scarf, coat, boots. 

• Sunny? Sunglasses, short-sleeves, sandals.

We’ve become a runway model for Mother Nature’s fashion show. To top it off, we all have our own opinions about the weather. Some love to sing in the rain; others prefer to watch the rain trickle down from their window. Some enjoy a lovely sun-kissed moment; others get agitated by the heat. Our feelings towards the weather can determine if we are to exhibit carpe diem or wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

Before we set foot out of the house, the weather has fixed our moods for the day. To better catch a glance at how it influences us unconsciously, let’s understand the psychology behind associations.

The Psychology of Associations

Regardless of whether we live under a rock or not, we can’t escape the weather’s omnipresence—so much so that it has infiltrated our use of language. Weather conditions have created associations with moods and feelings. Associations are so deeply engraved in our ordinary lives that it may take a while to distinguish them. Song lyrics are a prime example. Here are lyrics that demonstrate the connection between human emotion and weather:

It Will Rain - Bruno Mars (2011)

'Cause there'll be no sunlight

If I lose you, baby

There'll be no clear skies

If I lose you, baby

Just like the clouds

My eyes will do the same, if you walk away

Every day it will rain

Ain’t No Sunshine - Bill Withers (1971)

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

It's not warm when she's away/

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

Only darkness every day

Both singers imply that having their beloved ones gone is equivalent to having no sunshine or warmth. This reference creates the link between sad and depressive feelings to a dark, cloudy, rainy day. A day without light and heat is a day with negative emotions. Now, let’s look at the bright side (pun intended):

Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles (1969)

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting

Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear

Here comes the sun, doo da doo doo

Here comes the sun, I say it’s all right

Sunny - Boney M (1976)

Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain

Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain

The dark days are gone

And the bright days are here

In the absence of darkness and cold settings, the sun is shining, and the mood brightens. The singers capture how their feelings of delight are acquainted with the sun’s strong presence. This paints a picture that all is well, and life is nothing but peaches and cream. This, again, creates an association between bright and blissful feelings on a sunny day. Though as it turns out, our brains show further proof of the existing correlation between the sun and happiness.

Vitamin D and the Neuroscience Behind Weather

When we’re enjoying the sun rays dancing in our skin, we’re rewarded by intake of vitamin D. Ever hear of Sunny D? It’s a drink associated with bright, exciting energy, completely embodying the result of consuming an appropriate amount of vitamin D. This, in turn, fuels the production of dopamine and serotonin, which are necessary for our mind and body’s stability and functionality.

Let’s compare ourselves to a plant for a second to better understand the impact sunlight has on our neuro-makeup. Plants flourish at the hand of sunlight. If plants are robbed of their energy source, they begin to wither away and exhibit a depressive state. This is the same effect we experience when there’s minimal vitamin D intake.

If we experience supreme conditions of lethargic and negative energy when shunned from the sun, we could develop Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD—an abbreviation that has never been more accurate—is a mood disorder that causes depressive symptoms during extreme weather periods. The darker conditions signal a red light to the production of serotonin, halting all regular operations. Consequently, this lets the brain interpret the affair as depression.

Weather is one of our moods’ puppeteers, modifying our attitudes and presetting our behavior. Now, let’s see how brands use this to turn our frowns upside down and influence consumer behavior.

How Seasons Influence Marketing and Drive Consumer Behavior

April showers bring May flowers, as they say. As seasonal changes bring forth different weather patterns, different behaviors emerge. 

Spring—acquainted with rain and slightly warmer temperatures compared to the winter months—is ideal for gardening; summer—synonymous with the sun—bring life to park days, festivals, and island travels; autumn—welcomed by leaves and chillier days—is for sporting scarfs and layers; winter—the invitation to stay warm by the fire—is when we indulge in hot cocoa.

Such associations also shaped the film industry. During the summertime, when everyone’s hanging out in the hot summer sun, the movie theater became a popular indoor outing option. In 1957, Jaws coined the word “blockbuster” due to its massive success. Crowds lined up around the block to watch the new film, scoring over $7 million on its opening weekend. (Worth noting that the movie sensation did splurge $1.8 million in advertising though). Other movie franchises such as Star Wars, E.T., and Jurassic Park followed suit and achieved great successes.

The fashion industry, on the other hand, is at the mercy of the seasons. The spring and summer months inspire grand outdoor runways, while marketing campaigns use environmental elements such as flowers and vines into their designs.

Source (L to R): Photo by Amir Sahihi, 邱 严, Max Titov & Alexi Romano, Unsplash

The beverage industry also shifts the focus away from our gloomy surroundings and illuminates with cheery styles, colors, and events. Starbucks starts off the seasonal drinks mania every year with the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is strictly only available during the autumn months as Thanksgiving approaches. Now available in 50 countries, 424 million PSLs have been sold, bringing in approximately $1.4 billion in sales since its launch in 2003. (If that isn’t an epitome of association-by-design, we don’t know what is!).

Seasons aren’t just for brands like Starbucks alone. Certain drinks have their own love affairs with certain seasons. This, at its core, is neuromarketing at play. For example, what eggnog is to the US, mulled red wine is to the UK during the winter holidays. And there’s no celebrating New Year’s Eve, job promotions, or anniversaries without champagne too. To us, these just feel right at that specific moment in time.

It’s 6:59 am now. Keep in mind that your love affair with the weather will play out throughout the day. There’s no concealing the cloudy or sunny days, your acts will do the talking. 

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What’s Next?

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References

Burning Tree Ranch: How Weather Affects your Mood

Ettema D, Friman M, Olsson LE and Gärling T (2017) Season and Weather Effects on Travel-Related Mood and Travel Satisfaction. Front. Psychol. 8:140. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00140 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00140

Film School Rejects: How the Summer Blockbuster Was Born, Natalie Mokry

Healthline: What’s the Difference Between Dopamine and Serotonin?

How Stuff Works: Why do TV shows premiere in the fall?, Gallagher Flinn

Marketplace: Pumpkin Spice Latte, by the numbers, Katherine Wiles

PsychCentral: Can Weather Affect Your Mood?, John M. Grohol

Psychology Today: Psychological Consequences of Vitamin D deficiency, James M. Greenblatt