Spotify’s ‘Thanks 2016, It’s Been Weird’ acknowledged unconventional user habits in a way that provided laughter, levity and showed just how much the app can accommodate listeners.
The campaign seemingly appeared out of nowhere to turn data into personality, transforming user listening habits into witty, hyper-local storytelling.
Created in-house, the campaign’s intent was to humanize big data by reflecting cultural quirks and musical moments from one of the most turbulent years in memory. Launched in late 2016, billboards appeared across major cities with lines like “Dear person who played ‘Sorry’ 42 times on Valentine’s Day, what did you do?” and “Thanks 2016, It’s Been Weird.”
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Different cities featured locally tailored billboards that referenced regional listening trends and cultural moments, creating a sense of community recognition in New York, London, Berlin, and beyond.
Each execution blended humor, empathy, and real insights drawn from listener behaviour, reminding people that behind every playlist is a story. The campaign won multiple international awards, including at Cannes Lions and The One Show, celebrated for its tone, timing and humanity in data-driven creativity. Spotify proved that analytics don’t have to be cold – they can make culture laugh at itself and feel seen in the process.
That year, photos of the billboards spread rapidly across social media, with users sharing their favourites as memes. The brand would later lean into this trend by allowing people to create their own memes and share them from the app.
For anyone looking to the rise of data in digital out of home, this campaign should be learned from. No shortage of brands tried to replicate the work too, not quite reaching the same heights.
See the rest of The Drum’s 50 Best Out of Home Ads Ever here.
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