Spotify’s new AUX program is interestingly conceived to connect advertisers to targeted successful musicians for partnerships that benefit both the artist, who receives brand-name sponsorship, and the advertiser which gains access to the artist’s targeted audience. Naturally, artists selected for this program have substantial popularity and reach.
Spotify calls AUX a “first-of-its-kind music consultancy for brands. In that definitio;n, it is Spotify which provides consultation to the sponsor. The company counsels brands about how to best use music to benefit their campaigns and connect those brands to new audiences addressed by emerging artists.
Coca-Cola is the launch partner for this innovative marketing experiment, with the new Coke Studio, an initiative that resembles what Spotify is agenting; Coke Studio collaborates with artists, goes behind the scenes with them, and has produced a library of content. (It is HERE.)
First up in Coca-Cola’s AUX buy-in is Peggy Gou, a South Korean, Berlin-based producer and performer. Gou reaches nearly 12-million monthly listeners. Her recent and upcoming performance schedule includes Italy, California, Las Vegas, Barcelona, Paris, and London. Spotify describes the collaboration as “long term,” and it will include live concerts and other events, social media content, a branded playlist on Spotify, and other on-platform promo support.
“We are proud to be an early partner to AUX, which integrates Spotify’s expertise to enable authentic connections with music fans worldwide,” said Joshua Burke, Global Head of Music & Culture Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company. “This is a natural progression of our long-standing partnership with Spotify and marks a key milestone for our commitment to artists and the music community. We are excited to launch Coke Studio at Spotify LA, which will provide recording support for emerging artists and a platform to promote their music.”
“Spotify is always looking for ways to leverage our music ecosystem to deepen the connections between artists, brands, and fans,” said Jeremy Erlich, VP, Head of Music Content at Spotify. “AUX is a natural step for us to help brands strengthen their music strategy and better connect with new audiences through our expert insights and observations from our music team, tailored to meet brands’ needs.”
