Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird by Spotify, London. Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird by Spotify, London.
Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird by Spotify, London. Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird by Spotify, London.
Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird by Spotify, London. Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird by Spotify, London.

Sound bites

07 : 12 : 2016 Data Designers : Spotify : Marketing

Global – Spotify is seeing out 2016 with a data-driven campaign that references its subscribers’ listening habits.

  • The campaign will be rolled out across 14 markets, including the US, Germany, France and the UK
  • The tagline Thanks 2016, It’s Been Weird highlights the unusual listening habits of Spotify users

The project uses insights from Spotify’s regional teams around the world to analyse how users responded to cultural and political events on the platform, and highlight specific users’ eccentric listening habits.

A light-hearted initiative in the UK reads: ‘Dear 3,749 people who streamed ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’ the day of the Brexit Vote. Hang in There,’ while a billboard in the US states: ‘Dear person who made a playlist called ‘One Night Stand With Jeb Bush Like He’s a Bond Girl in a European Casino’. We have so many questions.’

The project is reminiscent of the brand’s 2015 Year in Music campaign, which enabled users to examine their listening habits in detail, including how much revenue they generated for artists and the amount of time they spent using the platform.

The Big Picture

The discussion around how to capture and use big data is being driven by brands that approach the topic creatively and in a tongue-in-cheek manner. To find out more, read our Data Designers microtrend.

Discover More Daily Signals
The Trend: The Great Beauty Blur

Daily Signals

The Trend: The Great Beauty Blur

2025 marks a critical inflection point for beauty. The sector, once defined by diversity and creativity, has grown increasingly monotonous, as glob...
Beauty : Wellness : Identity
The Big Idea: Neo-community Market

Daily Signals

The Big Idea: Neo-community Market

Brands are redefining engagement by transforming followers into communities where belonging is the ultimate currency.
Beauty : Engagement : Community
The Campaign: The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

Daily Signals

The Campaign: The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

In a provocative campaign in October 2025, skincare brand The Ordinary called out the beauty industry’s reliance on pseudo-scientific language.
Beauty : Skincare : Cosmetics
The Viewpoint: Reframing Ageing

Daily Signals

The Viewpoint: Reframing Ageing

Jacynth Bassett, founder and CEO of Ageism Is Never In Style, is reshaping the conversation around ageing, positioning it as a privilege rather tha...
Beauty : Marketing : Ageing
The Space: Koyia perfumery asks customers to pay with time rather than money

Daily Signals

The Space: Koyia perfumery asks customers to pay with time rather than money

In September 2025, Swedish fragrance brand Koyia introduced a forest-based retail concept where the only currency is time.
Beauty : Retail : Fragrance
The Trend:  The New Age of Discovery

Daily Signals

The Trend:  The New Age of Discovery

Where can consumers still find newness amid algorithm fatigue, ad blockers and saturated content platforms? Part of the answer lies in gatekeeping ...
Technology : Discovery : Retail
The Big Idea: The Future of  Dating Apps

Daily Signals

The Big Idea: The Future of Dating Apps

Hinge is the ‘designed to be deleted’ dating app now turning to real-life connections to tackle Gen Z loneliness. The Future Laboratory spoke to pr...
Technology : Dating Apps : Hinge
The Campaign: Why Apple leaned into artisanal charm for 2025 festive push

Daily Signals

The Campaign: Why Apple leaned into artisanal charm for 2025 festive push

Apple’s 2025 Christmas campaign A Critter Carol puts human craftsmanship front and centre.
Technology : Advertising & Branding : Apple
The Viewpoint: Cyberchondria and Its Cure

Daily Signals

The Viewpoint: Cyberchondria and Its Cure

The democratisation of medical knowledge – and the spread of fake news – has opened the doors to a new kind of cyberchondria. Jay Topham, co-founde...
Technology : Cyberchondria : Health
The Space: Koibird’s London store mixes digital and physical

Daily Signals

The Space: Koibird’s London store mixes digital and physical

A new wave of designers is bridging the virtual chaos of gaming realms and extended reality with the tactile authenticity of human craft.  
Technology : Retail : Design
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN