{"id":13325,"date":"2025-01-13T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=13325"},"modified":"2025-01-07T13:59:14","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T18:59:14","slug":"tuning-into-trends-how-brands-are-making-the-most-of-spotify-wrapped-in-pr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2025\/01\/13\/tuning-into-trends-how-brands-are-making-the-most-of-spotify-wrapped-in-pr\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuning into Trends: How Brands Are Making the Most of Spotify Wrapped in PR"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Companies continue to join in on what has been branded as \u201cGen Z humor,\u201d seen in coordination with this year\u2019s release of Spotify Wrapped. Spotify Wrapped is a campaign that collects its user\u2019s listening habits, and compiles them into a colorful and humorous interactive tap-through experience. The 2024 campaign was released on December 4th.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The excitement for this year’s Wrapped, bolstered by amazing campaigns of years past, has big companies joining in on the trend. PRWeek<\/strong><\/a> gathered posts from Merriam-Webster, Netflix, the Empire State Building and more, who have taken to X (formerly Twitter) and released their rendition of the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merriam-Webster<\/h2>\n\n\n
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In a typical Spotify Wrapped tap-through, the streaming service usually tells users how many minutes they’ve listened to Spotify or a certain artist. The campaign also displays your personal listening patterns with bright designs and moving graphics, along with a few lighthearted quips. Merriam-Webster added their own style to the trend with many X posts featuring similar Wrapped graphics, like one stating “You misspelled ‘definitely’ 632 times! This is so defiantly you! #MerriamWebsterWrapped”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Netflix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Spotify included a 2024 Music Evolution that replaced \u201ctop genres,\u201d which grouped together songs that were then called a phase, moment, season, etc., taking inspiration from their \u201cdaylist\u201d feature that was added this year. For example, I was told that I went through a \u201cPink Pilates Princess Roller Skating Pop Phase,\u201d as I listened to many hours of Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. Netflix promoted one of its most popular shows, Bridgerton, with the post, \u201cMay was your Regency Pitbull Yearning Carriage Phase.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empire State Building<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Empire State Building jumped on the Wrapped bandwagon as well, creating their own version of top artists and songs with the caption, \u201cI may be a building, but I still have taste. \ud83d\udc85\u201d Trending artists like Charli XcX and Sabrina Carpenter were listed, as well as New York themed songs like \u201cWelcome to New York,\u201d and \u201cApple.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engaging in the marketing tactics of other companies can help boost the brand of others. In the current age of media, brands see that if they can keep up with the times, they can (usually) gain more support and recognition. Not only are they now linked to a trend that people love, but it also plants a seed in consumers minds. Those who love Spotify Wrapped may be more likely to now think of Merriam-Webster when they need help with a word. When looking for a new show, they may remember how Netflix joined in on the fun of Spotify Wrapped, and look there for their next watch.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistent humor in marketing is fairly new, with technology and social media being more popular than ever. The vast differences between older generations and Gen Z has been a driving force in the way brands tackle their exposure. <\/strong>Agility PR Solutions<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>said that comedy is now an integral part of community engagement, with a mix of satire and \u201cunseriousness.\u201d When catering to the younger generation, it is important to stay true to the tone of one\u2019s brand when it comes to marketing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forbes<\/strong><\/a> responded to the trend, stating that, \u201cSpeed, self-awareness, and a sharp read on cultural nuance are the new gold standards for social success.\u201d Participating in a trend can be a fun, great way to gain attention, but companies should be strategic about how they participate. Maintaining relevance and the right amount of humor is vital.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2024 has been a year filled with humor as a form of marketing. Some popular marketing trends of the year you may have caught on to are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n