Apple Music: making music human again
As Brand Strategist, I uncovered the insight that would shape Apple Music its and launch campaign alike: the importance of human curation to discover music that touches you.
The challenge
My approach
The outcome
Apple stood at a crossroads. The inventor of the iPod struggled to stay relevant in a music industry that was rapidly shifting towards streaming. Apple had recently acquired Beats Music and enlisted Media Arts Lab, its exclusive ad agency, to rethink and relaunch the service. Rather than building a Spotify-clone, Apple was looking for a unique, ownable vision that would address what was missing in today’s music experience.
I designed our global research approach, leveraging our worldwide offices and trusted regional partners, combining market research, surveys, user testing, and interviews with listeners, musicians, and curators. An insights loop tested local insights globally to identify universal truths.
We found the key tension with casual listeners who felt overwhelmed and underserved by existing streaming services. Their algorithmic recommendations felt repetitive and robotic. If a user didn’t know exactly what they wanted to listen for, they were at a loss.
This insight drove our design concept: the human touch. We recommended to use Apple’s vast network of artists, curators, and labels to develop deep, human curation, search options around life’s moments, and an element of serendipity only human experts could provide.
In our launch campaign for Apple Music we spotlit artists and curators to celebrate the human touch of music. Bringing it to life in every little detail – down to the unique fonts we used.
Within its first year, Apple Music had already won over 11 million subscribers – half of Spotify's user base. Its emphasis on human curation set it apart from competitors and revitalised Apple's cultural cachet in music.
Our approach demonstrated once again the power of human-centric insights in driving innovation and differentiation. And best of all, it allowed millions to discover their next favourite songs.
