ITV's Love Island and Spotify audio ads: A match made in heaven
Summertime and steaming hot reality television are a match made in heaven. British broadcasting network ITV knew this when it set out to tease the new season of Love Island—a reality series set in a luxury Spanish villa that gives contestants a chance to find love—with a multi-format ad campaign highlighting the hit TV show on Spotify.
The media mix:
Brand vertical: Entertainment
Objective: Awareness
Target Audience: TV & Film Enthusiasts, Ages 16-34
Targeting Used: Age, Interest
Market: UK
Flight dates: 05/30/22–06/13/22
Formats: Audio, Overlay Mobile, Overlay Desktop, Sponsored Sessions, Homepage Takeover
The Brief:
The two main goals of ITV's advertising campaign were to increase awareness of Love Island and generate buzz ahead of the new season. With the previous season's record numbers and overall viewership in the millions,1 the bar was set high.
Why is Love Island so popular? Viewers are drawn to the show's passion, drama, and excitement—so capturing this energy in ad creative was key. The show had already made waves on the air, so partnering with an audio platform that could offer even more exposure made perfect sense for the Love Island advertising strategy.
The Solution:
With messaging like, "Listening to your fave love songs again? We all love a power ballad, but this summer, love is ours," ITV's love-themed audio ads—complemented by digital overlay ads—helped build excitement about the new season.
ITV worked directly with Spotify to develop bespoke ads, and they also used ready-made creative. They leveraged a recorded script read by Iain Stirling, a Scottish stand-up comedian and the unmistakable voice of Love Island, and capped off the message with a compelling call to action.
For the Sponsored Playlist component of ITV's campaign, the brand combined snippets of Iain's voice with their own voiceover actor. ITV aligned their ads with moments that reminded listeners of love—promoting the show in playlists with titles like '90s Love Songs, Romantic Ballads, and Timeless Love Songs.
Hear the spot for yourself.
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The Impact:
ITV wooed its target audience with a successful multiple-format approach. The network saw above-benchmark numbers in key metrics like Ad Recall and Awareness.
Overall campaign results:
- +31
pts increase in Ad Recall (3.1x higher than the benchmark)
- +13
pts increase in top of mind awareness for Love Island
- +16
pts increase in association of Love Island as the “OG Dating Show” (16x higher than the benchmark)
The Takeaway:
For entertainment brands, a multi-format campaign that blends audio and display ads can be a great way to attract new viewers. After all, music and TV often go hand in hand—you might even say they have a special relationship all of their own.
Head been turned? Get in touch with your Spotify Advertising team today—or crack on with Spotify Ad Studio—our self-serve advertising platform—to find the perfect marketing match for your brand.
SOURCES:
- "'Love Island' Season 7 Finale Boasts Record Viewers for ITV2," Variety. August 2021.