At Tribe's Global Meeting in London, I was fortunate to gain valuable insights from Sam Bevan and Nick Lawrence at Spotify. The presentation shed light on why Spotify is not just a music platform, but also a powerful marketing channel that brands should consider as part of their mix.

According to Spotify, music is the most crucial form of content today. That’s because it’s deeply tied to our emotions and plays a vital role in our daily rhythm. It isn’t just background noise—it’s how people escape stress and find energy in their day-to-day lives. Sam shared that 95% of people say they can’t live without Spotify. This makes it the most dominant and important app for millions of users globally.

A shift in consumer preferences

Today, we’re seeing a significant cultural shift. People are moving away from endless swiping, scrolling, and social media algorithms, which have led to anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out). What are they moving toward? A desire for connection, more “digital detoxes,” social media cleanses, “dumb” phones, and, most importantly, more positivity.

Spotify believes music has become a key tool in this shift. It’s the way people unwind, connect with themselves, and find joy. Users are integrating music into their routines—whether that’s studying, working out, commuting, or simply enjoying their morning coffee. Spotify helps personalise these moments with playlists and podcasts, And now, with Spotify Ads Manager (SAM), brands can tap into these micro-moments, too.

A marketing goldmine: Gen Z on Spotify

Gen Z is the golden demographic for marketers—yet they are notoriously hard to reach. They’re disengaging from traditional media like social networks and television in favour of more immersive platforms like Spotify. Over 318 million Gen Z-ers are engaging with Spotify, and their activity is only growing.

Just look at these stats:

• 81% year-over-year increase in Gen Z usage on Spotify.
• 57% of Spotify audiobook users are aged 18–34.
• 87% of AI DJ streams are powered by Gen Z and Millennials.

Spotify’s personalised content, like its AI DJ and curated playlists, perfectly aligns with what Gen Z craves: authentic, customised experiences without the noise of social media. This makes it an excellent channel to reach this elusive audience in a way that feels natural and enjoyable to them.

The rhythm of content consumption

Spotify isn’t just about music. The rhythm of content consumption throughout the day follows distinct patterns. For instance:

• Audio podcasts peak during breakfast and early work hours.
• Video content sees more engagement in the early morning.
• Music peaks in the late afternoon, during the commute home from work or school.
• Video podcasts are more likely to be consumed during early downtime hours.

Understanding this pattern allows brands to align their messaging with the right content at the right time for better engagement.

Spotify’s new tools for marketers

To support this unique consumption rhythm, Spotify has recently introduced SAM (Spotify Ads Manager), which helps brands and businesses achieve marketing objectives easily and efficiently. SAM enables businesses to manage their ad campaigns with control and performance insights. Brands can now repurpose video ads for Spotify’s audience and create bespoke audio ads for free—offering yet another layer of personalisation.

Soon, Spotify will introduce generative AI to help brands create even more tailored ads, further amplifying their ability to connect with their key audiences. With tools like Spotify Pixel, businesses can also measure how well their ads perform by tracking user actions post-ad interaction.

A new way to connect brands and audiences

Spotify is an indispensable part of modern life. By tapping into its power, brands can gain more attention, forge stronger connections, and achieve key advertising objectives. Whether increasing brand reach, improving click-through rates, or enhancing engagement with video and podcast content, Spotify is an exciting channel to consider in your marketing mix.

By Jennifer Webb, Director of Strategy at TrunkBBI and Board member at Tribe Global.