Spotify has launched its latest campaign in the region. Built with a strong focus on Saudi Arabia, the campaign takes inspiration from the Arabic word, “Tarab” (طرب).
According to Spotify’s KSA marketing manager Nicole Aoun, the word “Tarab” captures the unique state of being deeply immersed in music which resonates strongly within the culture.
“Tarab” is one of those words that is impossible to translate directly into English as it not only describes the feeling someone has when they hear a track they feel particularly connected to but how their body reacts to the beat.
Loosely translated, “Tarab” is most closely related to the word “enchantment”. The word is often linked with classical Arabic music, but “Tarab” transcends genres, offering an intensely personal musical experience.
While the campaign presents the local catalogue of music on Spotify, it also celebrates the hyper-personal moments that occur when Saudi fans listen to Khaleeji music on Spotify.
Nicole Aoun, Consumer Marketing Manager, KSA, shares, “Our aim with the campaign is to shed light on the deep emotional connection that Khaleeji music represents for Saudi music fans.”
“Whether it is finding motivation by working out to icons like Rashed Al-Majed or getting ready to Abdul Majeed Abdullah, the campaign really shows Spotify’s extensive Arabic library, which includes curated playlists and personalised recommendations based on your music tastes and preferences, with Arabic and Khaleeji playlists for every mood and moment.”
The campaign leverages a diverse media mix, including out-of-home (OOH) advertising, TV, influencer engagement, programmatic displays across key media outlets, mobile in-game advertising, and on-platform marketing techniques.
The approach aims to deeply engage Saudi music fans across different channels and includes a fun spin on the campaign’s hero videos to generate topical memes on the Spotify KSA social channels, including its instagram handle, @SpotifyKSA.
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Both videos show different people being immersed differently in the music.
The instagram account also posted various spin-offs of the main videos, featuring the individual clips of the people to maximise on the campaign.
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Spotify targets KSA through Khaleeji music
The campaign builds on Spotify’s recent initiatives to celebrate Khaleeji music by spotlighting Saudi artist Sultan Al Murshed and Iraqi artist Aseel Hameem across its global music programs, RADAR Arabia and EQUAL Arabia, in May last month.
This campaign is part of Spotify’s ongoing commitment to nurture local talents from every corner of the Arab world.
The campaign was created in collaboration with creative agency Science & Sunshine and produced with the production house Film Pudding.
