Audio sits at the heart of how Gen Z and Millennials find their identity, connect with their tribes, and curate their lives. For brands to matter, understanding the role of audio in culture is key.
Spotify’s first Culture Next report for the region unpacks what defines the new generation, the role of audio in shaping culture and what this means for brands. In partnership with research agencies Culture Co-Op and YouGov, Spotify spoke to 3,000 Gen Zs and Millennials across Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, to understand their evolving relationship with brands, content, technology, culture, and their communities.
Combined with interviews with artists, creators, influencers and Spotify’s Streaming Intelligence data, the report makes for a powerful study of the generations shaping our future.
“The way we consume culture has also become the way we communicate,” says film producer, writer, and yoga teacher Najwa Hisham, 26. “Following my favourite artists online also allows me to communicate with my friends and hundreds of others around the world who support the same people.”
The new global natives use audio and music to find and define their micro-communities by connecting with like-minded people through genres and subgenres. This is big news for brands, as genre-based targeting through Spotify’s Streaming Intelligence allows them to match their audio creative to the listening experience, connecting contextually in real time.
The report explores the opportunities this creates for marketers in becoming part of genres like K-Pop which has half a billion monthly streams from Southeast Asia alone.
Over the years, R&B songstress Yuna has become a source of pride for Malaysians and has often drawn inspiration from young Malaysian girls, whom she also writes her songs for.
“It’s great to have people from other countries listen to my music. I come from a place rich with culture, and I travel the world touring to share my music, but audio/music streaming media has made it easier to give my fans an introduction to who I am — it’s so nice to see that they can relate to me. I don’t just get to share my music, I get to connect with other artists, work with them, grow with them, and most importantly learn from them.”
With 58% feeling there is too much visual stimulation, Culture Next helps marketers understand how they can leverage the power of audio and engage with their audience across the daily screenless moments.
The report highlights how audio offers unique and immersive solutions for brands to create contextually relevant, highly emotional, and valuable interactions with an engaged audience.
“The power of Spotify is that it is contextual; content has meaning and people are using us to soundtrack everything they do in their lives. Understanding how Gen Z and Millennials find their identity and define their lives means understanding the role audio plays in shaping culture,” said Jan-Paul Jeffrey, Spotify’s Head of Marketing, SEA at Spotify.
To download the Culture Next report and discover what it means for brands and marketers, visit https://culturenextvol1-sea.
