Chapter 2: Context, context, context

Context is the digital audio ad supercharger. Spotify’s Streaming Intelligence is sophisticated enough to recognize a listener’s interests, moods, and moments—to understand the person on the other end of the device. This understanding allows us to match the listener with the right message, at the right moment, in the right tone.

Don't kill the vibe

Listeners are more receptive to messaging when it matches their mood.¹ And if you tie your creative to a specific mood, it's more likely your ad will connect.

The best ads speak directly to a persona—is your listener a runner, a foodie … or someone who's just trying to fall asleep? The content and delivery of your ad should match the listener's vibe—or get them even deeper into it.

Keep the flow

Assume music listeners are in the flow and keep genre in mind. Whether they're listening to hip-hop, pop, rock, country, new age, or some other genre, we recommend you aim to deliver an ad that feels like part of the mix. Don’t jolt your listener out of their headspace.

When reaching listeners with genre-targeted creative, consider how your choice of background music can help keep the flow. Music genre can impact ad effectiveness if the creative isn’t customized.³

In Rap, Latin, and Pop, low or nonexistent background music is strongest. Background music that’s too prominent may overpower your message.

For pop fans, highlight relevant product features to break through and help drive effectiveness.

Rock music can evoke strong emotional memories. Lean into a nostalgic narrative and matching background music to ensure your message fits the mood if you're targeting rockers.

Reaching your customers where they listen (hint: it’s on Spotify)

When it comes to homing in on your potential customer, you have the luxury of being precise—that’s the beauty of Spotify! Our Streaming Intelligence powers our data-driven targeting capabilities, allowing advertisers to reach audiences more precisely than traditional radio ads' estimated targeting. The results speak for themselves with +6 points in higher awareness and +17points in ad recall than campaigns with basic demographic targeting.⁴ Check out our audience targeting capabilities to learn more.