SPOTIFY
Research + Strategy
The service design focused research helping Spotify to understand the world of under-represented streamers and Podcasters.
The Challenge
Spotify aimed to support audio creators and hosts from Black and LGBTQIA+ communities in the UK, with the goal of enabling them to thrive off their content. The initial challenge was to deeply understand the tastes, consumption habits, and ambitions of these communities to shape the three-year Creator Equity Fund (CEF) project effectively.
The Innovation
Our approach involved a comprehensive survey of 1,410 Black and/or LGBTQIA+ individuals, alongside detailed conversations with 24 creators from these communities at varying career stages. This dual-faceted research aimed to capture the essence of audience preferences and creator experiences, focusing on content consumption habits, podcast preferences, barriers to entry, and income expectations from podcasting.
Our findings revealed 'subject matter' as the leading factor in podcast selection, followed by 'diversity and representation' in content. Despite high engagement, both groups highlighted a significant gap in podcasts addressing their unique community issues, with 44% of the LGBTQIA+ participants labeling existing podcasts as 'boring.'
The Impact
The research culminated in a Creative Service Design Recommendations Guide, providing Spotify with actionable insights to ensure the CEF fund’s offerings are intersectional, community-specific, and sensitive to different career stages. This strategic framework is set to guide the CEF fund's development in 2024, aligning Spotify’s objectives with the needs and aspirations of Black and LGBTQIA+ audio creators in the UK.
GOT A BRIEF FOR THE CURB TEAM?
Want some research done? Some strategic direction? A creative execution? Or maybe you just want to get the convo going. We’re here, so give us a shout.