Samsung, Uppercase, Yamaha: Using audience insights to deliver impactful ads

At a time when social media is starting to feel like digital noise and everyone’s craving calm, people are spending up to 2 hours everyday on Spotify, a 2024 study by Global Web Index (GWI) revealed. 92% of users also said that Spotify is essential to their daily habits. Another study by Hub Entertainment Research showed that the average person uses 13 media services at any time but consider less than half of these as “must-haves”—Spotify topped the list of these indispensables.

Listening is an incredibly personal experience and Spotify, as the world’s leading audio streaming platform, has become an essential part of people’s everyday lives. Whether it’s powering gym sessions, fueling curiosity with podcasts, or setting the mood for memorable moments, Spotify has formed deeply personal connections with its users. Thanks to its massive catalogue and AI-driven streaming intelligence, Spotify is able to create hyper-personalised listening experiences for its users. This is the same intel that brands can leverage to deliver precision-targeted advertising on the platform.

At Spotify Hits India 2024, which debuted in the country this November, nine outstanding advertising campaigns  were celebrated for their innovative use of Spotify’s capabilities. These campaigns, selected from over 100 nominations, were evaluated in eight categories based on creative execution, strategic media deployment, and measurable business impact. Among the ones showcased, three campaigns stood out for their exemplary use of audience insights and Spotify’s advanced targeting capabilities.

Samsung was recognised in the ‘For The Fans’ category, which celebrates campaigns with nuanced audience targeting. The brand created a buzz around its Z Flip5 and Fold5 phones, leveraging Spotify’s audience insights to target early adopters and tech enthusiasts based on listening habits, podcast preferences, and app usage patterns. By deploying dynamic audio ads contextualised by time, location, and listening moments, alongside video and podcast ads, the campaign reached 9.9 million users. A Brand Lift Study revealed a 19-point increase in ad recall.

Samsung representatives at Spotify Hits India 2024

Yamaha won laurels in the ‘Took The Stage’ category, which highlights innovative uses of Spotify’s interactive ad format, Stage. To catch the attention of the next generation of riders, Yamaha designed an immersive campaign that targeted young Gen Z motorcycling enthusiasts. Using Spotify’s Stage, they created an interactive game that let listeners discover their “rider persona" and get personalised playlists tailored to this. 

Yamaha representatives at Spotify Hits India 2024

In the ‘Made Us Look’ category, Uppercase’s campaign was recognised for how well it connected with modern, purpose-conscious travellers. The ads were served at key moments such as commutes and travel playlists, connecting with a mobile-first audience of fitness enthusiasts, health-conscious individuals, and mobility-focused listeners. This smart targeting gave them impressions of 6.6Mn and a clickthrough rate of 1.34%, driving traffic to Uppercase’s website and social media pages.

Uppercase representatives at Spotify Hits India 2024

"We aim to inspire environmentally conscious travelers, offering luggage that blends sustainability with quality and style. Spotify's audience insights helped us reach purposeful travelers at the right moment, delivering our message when mobility was top of mind." said Sudip Ghose, Founder and CEO of uppercase.

The campaigns were evaluated by a four-member panel of experts from Spotify India. 

“It’s great to see brands be superbly creative while also demonstrating a strong understanding of their audiences,” said Arunima Anand, Market Research & Intelligence Lead, Spotify India, one of the panellists. “At Spotify, our mission is to help brands connect with their tribe at just the right moments when they’re most receptive. The standout campaigns showcased at Spotify Hits India 2024 are a testament to how this is being achieved, given their excellent business impact.”

Other campaigns celebrated at the event included those by ITC Bingo, Wakefit, Make My Trip, Goibibo, Mother Dairy, Royal Enfield, and more. The event, hosted on November 27th at JW Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai, combined creative inspiration with industry networking and concluded with an electrifying performance by the musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The invite-only event was attended by leaders from shortlisted brands and their agency partners.

For more details, see https://hits2024india.splashthat.com/