Spotify highlights joy of discovery in first Japan branding

Spotify has brought out its first branding campaign for Japan, having launched in the market at the end of September. Following an initial invite-only period, the streaming service is now fully open for use.

Developed by Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo, ‘New Music, New Me’ is a series of vignettes that show in a humorous way how music can enliven daily life. The key message is that discovering new music, especially from unfamiliar genres, can be inspiring and put the world in a new light for the listener. People are invited to ‘discover music you didn’t know you’d love’.

The five scenes present people under the influence of hip hop, metal, punk rock, techno and R&B, with the music shaking up mundane activities like chopping leeks and riding a packed commuter train. The campaign also includes a Twitter activation that asks users to describe themselves in three emojis, to which Spotify responds with a song suggestion based on that description.

Spotify’s launch in Japan comes after five years of negotiation with music labels. The company operates in partnership with Dentsu, which sees it acting as a pioneer of digital audio advertising in the country. Industry observers are optimistic about its prospects, but some have also noted that a limited catalogue of Japanese artists may prove problematic.

Campaign’s view: The videos are fun, simple and impactful, which is just what Spotify needs in a market where it is likely to have relatively low brand awareness. Featuring music by Japanese artists is also sensible. Our favourite character is the death metal salaryman, who finds an outlet for the rage that Tokyo’s rush hour travel can induce.