Music and running go hand-in-hand. Maybe it’s the noise to drown out the labored breathing or the upbeat music that allows you to push past the resistance in your head. Either way, putting sneakers on concrete is easier with headphones.
Anyone who makes running a consistent part of their workout has a playlist, station or album they love to listen to while they move. Spotify has plenty of playlists curated for runners with vastly different musical tastes, but now they are bringing in a brand that wants to target individual runners’ preferences and location.
The Michelob Marathon is Spotify’s first multi-market, dynamic audio campaign. What that means is that Spotify uses your personal streaming history and some inputs you give them to create a very specialized playlist.
“We’re really excited to be the first brand to use this innovative technology on a global scale on Spotify,” said Tim Deeks, marketing manager of Michelob Ultra. “We want to inspire people to live an active lifestyle, and the Michelob Marathon with Spotify is a great platform to do so.”
Runners put in the length of a run, anywhere from five minutes to four hours; the pace of which can range from slow to medium to fast to Olympic. Then the city you are running in is entered. Using these three inputs and past Spotify history, a playlist is delivered for the duration of your run.
Where it begins to get a bit creepy is in the cut-ins that promote AB InBev’s Michelob Ultra during the run. Ads super-tailored based on the local weather and the city they are in can feel a bit too pointed, although they definitely keep people’s attention.
It’s no secret that these streaming companies know a ton about the content you like to enjoy, but after opting in to the program and receiving localized ads, the personalization reaches another level. With the wide variety of running playlists already available, filling out personal data to receive automated customization seems like a bit of a stretch.
The campaign, built in partnership with A Million Ads, does make sense for the Michelob Ultra brand. They are focused on providing light beer at 73 calories, so it makes sense to target the health-conscious running population. It’s also another brick in the wall of sound the brand is building on the heels of this year’s ASMR ad during the Super Bowl featuring Zoe Kravitz. Additionally, it plays into Spotify’s consistent play to deliver content that is relevant to consumer behavior.
The campaign includes prizes for people who finish their workouts and is rolling out in the UK and Mexico, but is expected to go worldwide in the future.
