SPOTIFY

THE CHALLENGE

Spotify aimed to support audio creators and hosts from Black and LGBTQIA+ communities in the UK, to help them 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.

Emma

RESEARCH CONSULTANT

Hayel

COO & CO-FOUNDER

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 labelling existing podcasts as 'boring.'

THE IMPACT

The research culminated in a Creative Service Design Recommendations Guide goes beyond traditional insights. By providing Spotify with a robust, data-driven strategic framework, they ensure the CEF fund’s offerings are not just intersectional and community-specific, but finely tuned to address the nuanced career stages of creators.

This guide is poised to be a game-changer for Spotify in 2024, driving more targeted, impactful engagement with Black and LGBTQIA+ audio creators in the UK. It empowers Spotify to move from broad support to precise, actionable strategies that align deeply with the creators' real-world needs, setting a new standard for how corporate initiatives can authentically resonate with and uplift diverse communities.

don't be shy, say hi!