Spotify enters vertical video ads with branded moments


Spotify is rolling out a new product called branded moments that serves vertical video ads to listeners. This offering gives listeners 30 minutes of commercial-free music after they view the advertisement. Bacardi, Gatorade, and Bose are among the first brands to beta test this new ad approach.

The ads are centered around six particular moods or times of day: chill time, working out, party, dinner, focus, and sleep. The clips will play when a user first opens up a playlist, and although there will not be audio ads, they will see more display ads on the screen when looking at the app. The display ads are meant to let marketers further develop their message to the target audience.

“A branded moment is more about reaching users in a specific context,” said Danielle Lee, Spotify’s VP of global partnership solutions. “Based on the playlists that they’re activating, we know the moments they are in.”

This isn’t the first time Spotify has explored this type of promoted commercial-free listening. The streaming service trialled optional “takeover” video ads back in 2014.

Anna Washenko