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Through its own first-party data, the platform is supplying entertainment marketers with research that may boost their ad campaigns

When a thrilling moment occurs on the world stage — be it a major sporting event, an unexpected scandal or the release of a much-hyped movie expected to smash box office records — it usually finds its way onto Spotify in the form of music, playlists and podcasts.

When these cultural moments permeate the platform, they can generate long-lasting impact and reach a global audience of over 550 million people who crave deeper engagement. Last year, Spotify carried out research for entertainment marketers that highlighted the potential of a well-planned and executed advertising campaign on the platform, no matter the demographic being targeted.

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This year, Spotify is going one step further by demonstrating, through its own first-party data, just how influential the relationship between entertainment and digital audio really is.

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“Barbie” Girl in a Spotify World

A pop culture enthusiast doesn’t have to cast their mind back far to remember the biggest cinematic splash of 2023. On Friday, July 21, both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” opened in theaters in a thrilling head-to-head (known as “Barbenheimer”) that generated north of $230 million in U.S. ticket sales over that single weekend.

“Barbie” pulled in huge numbers in theaters nationwide, and on July 22, fans took to Spotify to show their appreciation. In the U.S. alone, streams of the “Barbie” Official Playlist increased by more than 1,800% on that Saturday — driving several of the movie’s most memorable anthems to blow up in equally seismic proportions.

In the U.S., streams of “Spice Up Your Life” were up +190%, while “WATATI [From Barbie The Album]” came in a close second at +180%. There were also huge upticks for “Barbie Girl,” as well as “Dance The Night [From Barbie The Album],” tracking at +170% and +105%, respectively.

And to top it off, “Barbie The Album” was the most-streamed newly released album globally on Spotify from July 21-23, with “I’m Just Ken” (No. 8) and “Man I Am” (No. 10) both entering the top 10 of the weekend’s Top Songs Debut Global chart.

“Stranger” Streams Have Happened

For entertainment marketers, the streaming numbers hit by “Barbie” highlight the opportunity to reach avid movie lovers with a timely message — but the mesmerizing powers of TV are not to be overlooked, either.

In June this year, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify — the latest milestone hit since it went hyperviral following the 2022 release of “Stranger Things” Season 4. On the day after the show’s premiere, Spotify streams of Kate Bush’s 1985 hit increased by more than 8,700% globally and an even more impressive +9,900% in the U.S.

“Whether it’s movies or TV, fans flock to Spotify to continue the story they’ve seen in theaters or streamed at home,” says Mags Zielinska-Banks, the platform’s category development officer of entertainment. “The endless synergies between Spotify and entertainment converge to create an incredible creative canvas for marketers to tap into and share their message in an engaged environment.”

A Passion for Podcasts

Soundtracks provide fans with a way of reveling in the joy of the movie or show they’ve just watched — but podcasts let them dive deeper into every scene and relive the moments that triggered a strong emotional response they’d like to experience again.

A case in point: In May 2023, engagement with the podcast topic “Succession” spiked on Spotify at +2,833% after the “Tailgate Party” episode in Season 4, and again in June at +267%, following the series finale.

It’s not all about storylines, either. Fans also flock to podcasts when momentous events in the entertainment space happen off-screen. TV buffs aren’t forgetting “Scandoval” anytime soon, least of all those who tuned into podcasts about “Vanderpump Rules” in March 2023, when — in the immediate aftermath of the scandal — Spotify podcast streams for the topic peaked at +608%. The same trend emerged following the Season 10 finale in May 2023, with podcast streams spiking after online searches for the topic peaked, extending the duration of the conversation well beyond the date of the season finale.

“Planning campaigns to align with well-publicized moments like a movie premiere is key, but it’s not always possible to predict when the next big cultural moment will happen,” says Grace Kao, global head of advertising business marketing for Spotify. “By investing in podcast advertising as part of your always-on strategy, you not only leverage the trust and authenticity of podcasts, but can also ensure your brand shows up in topical cultural conversations from the moment they happen on Spotify.”

And it’s not just TV and movie screens that get people reaching for their favorite podcasts — major sporting events pull in the numbers, too. On Spotify, this year’s championship series of the country’s professional basketball league between the teams from Denver and Miami surged to a +505% increase in podcast topic engagement May through June. In addition, a staggering +11,148% increase followed the league’s All-Star game in February.

Meet Your Audience in a State of Immersion

By planning well in advance for pop culture moments likely to grab the world’s attention, entertainment marketers have an opportunity to show up with their own message before, during and after the main event.

Spotify is where audiences go to reimmerse themselves in those moments — whether that’s replaying a movie’s soundtrack, embracing the song that made an epic episode of their favorite show, or deepening their knowledge and perspective through podcasts. In fact, Spotify’s “Culture Next” report in June 2023 revealed that 78% of Gen Z in the U.S. agree that Spotify brings people deeper into culture.

Spotify’s advertising solutions include playlist sponsorship, video takeover and title-by-title podcast buying, which allows advertisers to align their brand with influential hosts and run voice talent ads or host-read ads for greater impact. In addition, the Spotify Audience Network enables advertisers to scale their reach across Spotify’s network of premium podcasts, whether their audience is listening on Spotify or another platform. And Spotify Ad Analytics — a powerful and completely free service — helps them measure the impact of their ads at every stage of the marketing funnel.

If entertainment advertisers want to reach engaged audiences primed to hear about the next blockbuster or the latest on what’s trending, it’s essential to meet them on a platform that reflects and amplifies pop culture. With over half a billion monthly active users globally, Spotify offers brands the opportunity to scale and soar as high as the culture-driven trends seen on its platform.

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