By mid-December, my Instagram feed is overflowing with my buddies’ Spotify Wrapped playlists.
So I began my festive, topical dialog with Spotify’s Head of Global Company Marketing and Marketing, Grace Kao, with a easy: What’s in her Spotify Wrapped?
“I am truly channeling my 12-three-hundred-and-sixty-five-day-missing-daughter standing up,” he instructed. “Nicely, feminine powerhouse singers: Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo… Beyoncé, clearly.”
Within the spirit of reflection, I offer you “Marketing and advertising Wrapped”: Kao’s high promoting options for 2024 and what to convey in 2025.
Lesson One: Personalization creates connection.
If Kao wanted to resolve a cornerstone of 2024 Wrapped’s advertising and advertising, it might clear up “Connection.”
That is why Wrapped is that this type of true promoting tactic. Now it is not about correct personalization — it additional promotes connection.
As Cao instructed to me, “Spotify Wrapped does this very properly as a result of it is not the deepest, nevertheless it is not extra concerning the neighborhood.. All we are attempting to characterize is a spot the place we’re Wrapped up with others. I am attempting to listen to about your Wrapped as a result of or now it is not a connection we each share.’
Though I am going to admit my Wrapped is form of embarrassing (I am constructing now I do not hearken to something after 2020 so my Wrapped is caught in a Taylor Swift time loop Folklore… In addition to, I am annoyed with commerce), there’s one thing deeply satisfying about seeing all my social media connections on the identical web page ASAP.
Whereas discussing how personalization creates connection, one other advert marketing campaign popped up on Kao’s suggestions: The scorching Coke and Oreo “Bestie ModeCollaboration, the place clients would doubtless get curated Spotify playlists that combined their favourite hits with their finest buddies’ songs.
“In 2024, we noticed that we had been attempting extra tune and extra connection, so this changed into an enormous alternative to convey two iconic producers collectively and current one thing enjoyable that put a stamp on our capabilities.”
Lesson Two: Settle for it as actual by no longer sleeping on podcasts as a lead buyer alternative.
Gen Zers do not get their repair of fancy podcast listening — they wish to get these, too.
It’s primarily based mostly on an epic launched in October of this 300 and sixty-five days, 82% of Gen Z listeners bounce after listening to a podcast advert.
This doesn’t shock Kao. As he places it, “Gen Z trusts podcasts greater than they consider social media influences now.”
That is smart to me. I lately purchased a Ninja blender as a result of I heard a house well being podcaster rave about it. (Additionally, I am a infamous shopaholic, although, so window store: I require minimal convincing.)
Kao sums up the reasoning in authenticity: “I choose or not choose it anymore as a result of podcasts aren’t written in an apparent sense. It is fancy to listen to a pure dialog.”
It’ll breed you to guage this promoting lesson is absolutely relevant to B2C, choose once more: Spotify’s 2024 supply The subsequent saga occurs to be arguably one of many many genres of podcasts for Gen Z is different and know-how.
So in 2025, Kao’s suggestion is to show to podcasts as a mainstream buyer alternative, particularly in case your target market consists of Gen Z.
Lesson Three: Be largely the folks you already know.
“Spotify is a day by day companion to your existence. We’re there in your first dance at your marriage ceremony ceremony, your first kiss, your first job interview or most of all of the acquainted tune you play for a elaborate automobile,” laughs Cao.
“And that first stroll is what captures religion.”
She is not spoiled. I have been dedicated to Lululemon years after Alo Yoga, Vuori and Open air Voices emerged as completely different sportswear corporations. For no cause combined with the fantastic: I purchased there first.
“A type of branding comes from being first to market. And so when producers think about 2025, or now no extra, that is fairly just a few miles to contemplate: How will you be firstor as a minimal a part of an individual’s first stroll?”
Whether or not you are not selling engines, collaboration devices, or tires, the underside line is: simply now you’ll not be high at any particular person’s first dance it doesn’t matter what field be the footprint they discover first and the one they determine to stay with because of the thumbnail, measurable affect you had their first moments — whether or not it is a well-known promoting job, a crew’s first mission or a mountain advert marketing campaign.
And that is one thing that offers beginning to a correct time.