merit
In 2023, we helped Spotify launch a program that tailors the music users want to listen to with one tap of a button, using only AI voice and an algorithm called Spotify DJ.
C+D Insight: Beyond the magic of the tech, there's a feeling that comes with the initial discovery & re-discovery of music, which DJ provides in a way like no other feature.
CREATIVE WAY IN: Marry the advanced tech of AI with individual human identity to tell a story of unlocking human emotion through amazing technology. Human emotion > Technology
Amongst other strategic pillars, we really leaned into DJ & MC culture. We want to highlight where DJ culture derives from – the desire to unite people from all different walks of life through music.
We also leaned into the human coziness of the radio. People feel connected to the hosts of the programs they listen to. Especially when commuting, radio commentary offers people a social and informative experience without having to participate themselves.
Now, with the introduction of commercial-free streaming services and remote work, these human moments have been lost.
THE ASK:
Introduce a new product & tech innovation without disrupting the Spotify brand at large
Bring awareness, excitement, and education about this new product to Gen Z across social, CTV, and PR channels.
GOALS:
Primary: Bring awareness, excitement, and education about this new product to our users
Secondary: Demonstrate that Spotify is the category leader in the artificial intelligence space
THINGS TO AVOID:
Two consumer messages that don’t live together in harmony
Getting too technical with Spotify’s consumer audience
Simplifying AI and getting individuals to trust AI was a big challenge at the time. Getting younger people to care about AI (and perceive it as helpful, was also difficult). We did some digging, had conversations with their target audience and heard the following conceptions;
Systems don’t operate correctly or understand commands
AI is a threat to privacy
As a result, with the AI element, we leaned less into the technological aspect and more into:
The awe that comes from hearing X’s voice for the first time
How user-friendly it is
How it provides you with a new user experience
How the commentary adds a human element to listening experiences
THE DELIVERY:
A 360 campaign across social, PR, and CTV focusing on the power of music and the emotions it brings out of us.
Assets:
60 sec. spot for Spotify News, CTV, and Social
3 vertical social cut-downs & static social graphics
Static & Motion PR for product education and awareness
30 days after launch:
Organically, Spotify social channels shared 9 posts, generating 28M reach and 236k engagements — in comparison, that’s 2.4x more reach than the Blend beta launch. Performance of social posts was outperforming benchmarks with a 4.25% engagement rate on IG and a 10.37% engagement rate on the LinkedIn announcement (compared to 3.5% average across platforms).
Growth: Spotify saw +32% w/w WAU growth, with sustained 63% of DAU being deep listeners after the first 30 days of the campaign launch.
In short, we were able to provide Spotify with a fun, fresh, and easily understood approach to AI that didn't interfere with their current brand. We found ways to relate to Spotify users by offering a more humanized emotional approach and showcasing the moments that 'X' comes in handy for users via footage of listeners using 'X,' from car rides to getting ready to lock in for work.
As a result of national success in the US, Spotify has now created a Spanish and French version of the AI DJ and has localized the product marketing across 50 countries worldwide.
As an agency, we didn’t use AI from a creative standpoint, but of course, the entire launch was centered around Spotify DJ; thus, much of our research and the platform launch itself were AI-centered.
