Stage by data
Busking culture in South Korea has reshaped the music culture and created a base for what is known as K-pop. However, these street musicians have been struggling financially, and the hurdle to getting into the music industry is too high. To help them, Spotify will create special busking stages that inform buskers with data and guide them to play music that resonates with the audience.
Brand
Spotify
Role
Concept, Copywriting
Design - created buskers image using Midjourney
Recognition
MADSTARS 2024
Bronze | VIDEO Group
Information Video Stars
Spotify offers a "upcoming events near my location" feature. You can also see artists' upcoming gigs on their profiles.
So, we've designed the busking schedule to be as easy to find as usual within the Spotify app.
Background
South Korea's busking culture is centered around Seoul's Hongdae neighborhood and has spread across the country. But performing on the streets is never easy - you have to work hard to get people's attention and it's a constant battle to generate enough income to sustain your music career.
Insight
On top of that, different neighborhoods have different music preferences, and if the music you play doesn't resonate with the locals, it won't work.
Idea
So we create busking stages around Seoul based on Spotify's regional and genre-specific listening data. Each stage is labeled with popular genres and songs that musicians should play in that area.
For example, contemporary musicians will appear at Seongsu, while musicians playing family-friendly pop songs will appear at Yeouido Han-river Park. By scanning a code embedded in the stage label, audience can view the other busking schedule and musicians can book a next stage(performance). Potential fans can also support the musicians through Fan Support within the Spotify app.
Stage Design & Copy Writing
Spotify has been doing data-driven out-of-home advertising for years now, including our ‘wrapped’ campaign. The labels on the stages we create are filled with real data that helps musicians perform on the street. Like what genres and songs are popular in this neighborhood.
