Wrapped, Replayed, and Remembered: How Streaming Platforms Use PR to Boost Brand Loyalty

Cover Photo From Creative Commons

Written by Degan Schloemann, Assisted by AI Tools

This week, we will revisit some campaign examples. We have discussed famous movie and concert campaigns, but we have not discussed what music applications are doing to promote their streaming services.

The strategic campaigns from two of the most used streaming platforms, Spotify and Apple Music, create interactive fan experiences and promote music sharing. 

Spotify Wrapped: Data Meets Personality

Image from Spotify Newsroom

Spotify created its annual “Spotify Wrapped” in 2016. It is an interactive user experience that shows top artists, genres, songs, and listening stats. The experience is released at the end of the year when users anticipate their listening data. Spotify included shareable social media cards so other users and friends can relate and share listening data. 

Spotify Wrapped creates a sense of community through its shareable social media cards and establishes loyalty as users look forward to seeing their Spotify Wrapped each year. Each December, Spotify Wrapped social cards dominate Instagram, X, and Snapchat due to their colorful cards, which are perfectly formatted for sharing and accessible to share directly from the Spotify app. 

The user-generated content that Spotify has mastered inspires others to join the app and join the wait until December when they can see their listening data. Fans feel seen and appreciated by the app through each individualized experience. 

Marc Hazan, Spotify’s Vice President of partnerships and Marketing, says Spotify Wrapped is “Our annual thank-you to fans around the world. Spotify Wrapped has become deeply ingrained in the lives of music fans worldwide.”

Apple Music Replay: Elegant, But Effective

Image from Teen Vogue

Apple Music shares a similar program called Apple Music Replay. Through Apple Music Replay, users have year-round access to their listening data. This program does not include the flashy colors and personalized experience of Spotify, but it is still very similar and utilized by thousands of users each year. 

Apple Music Replay does not share the same features as Spotify Wrapped, including the social media sharing cards that dominate platforms all winter. Though it is different and less popular, Apple Music Replay still creates a shared sense of community and loyalty from its users. The Apple Music Replay program is seen as more elegant and incorporates different public relations tactics and styles that still secure brand loyalty and user engagement. 

Final Thoughts: Streaming Meets Storytelling

Streaming platforms have become entertainment brands rather than just service providers, as we have seen in the past. These two user interactive experiences have changed the game for streaming platforms and branding. Public relations ties into these interactive experiences by creating digital memories and experiences. See you next week.