Spotify Rewind

Design Category: Experiential, Branding, UX/UI

Inspired by UNICEF’s Global Initiatives, this campaign reimagines mental health awareness through a Spotify-sponsored mobile campus experience that travels to universities nationwide. Students disconnect by exchanging their phones for a cassette player and taking a mindful walk while listening to an album, start to finish, without digital distractions.

Deliverables include social media graphics, custom mobile van design, in-app interruption ad, and branded merchandise.

Research

Mental Health Statistics:

  • In 2015, 42.8% of American college students reported above-average stress, while 13.8% reported depression affecting their individual academic performance

  • Individuals may be up to 46% more likely to have depression if they are using social media more than 60 minutes per day

Objectives:

  • Offer an alternative to phone usage

  • Reap the benefits of listening to music and being outside simultaneously

  • Highlight artists that Spotify wants to promote

Mood Board: campaign inspiration, Spotify social media, and aesthetic inspiration

Process

  • Warm color palette to evoke nostalgia

  • Spotify current branding -> not used in final elements to establish separation from the app

  • Logo: Sans serif, bold typeface

    • Arrow added to emphasize “Rewind” language

    • Shadows and 3D rendering to bring depth

Design Elements

Social Media Graphics

  • Introduce campaign visuals to Spotify users

  • Provide a range of graphics to give context on the event

  • Display the unique features of the experience

  • Physical elements and photography included to encourage users to disconnect

See the graphics below:

Van Mockup

What students see on campus

  • Visually engaging from any distance

  • Cassette tapes placed to preview the experience

  • Campaign language used: “Ditch your phone. It’s time to go back.”

  • Repeating elements from social media and Spotify interruption ad