Cultural Connections: How Mother Dairy and Royal Enfield impressed at Spotify Hits 2024

The most memorable advertising doesn’t just deliver a message—it sparks an emotional connection. It transports listeners, inviting them into a shared story that resonates deeply with their cultural and emotional realities. At Spotify Hits India 2024, Royal Enfield and Mother Dairy demonstrated such contextually relevant storytelling through their advertising campaigns.

Spotify Hits, which debuted in India this November, celebrated nine outstanding campaigns selected from over 100 nominations. The campaigns were evaluated by a panel of experts from Spotify India, based on three criteria: creative execution, strategic media deployment, and measurable business impact. Among the winners, Royal Enfield and Mother Dairy stood out in the ‘IRL’ and ‘Seized the Moment’ categories respectively, showcasing how storytelling and cultural alignment can amplify brand impact.

Mother Dairy’s Maa Jaisi Campaign

Mother Dairy’s campaign tapped into all the emotions of Mother’s Day by celebrating the universal values of motherhood—nurture, care, and unconditional love. To amplify the message, the brand used Spotify’s Audio Everywhere solution, placing its messaging during intimate listening moments. Mother Dairy sponsored Spotify’s Mother’s Day playlist, making its anthem Maa Jaisi a central part of the celebration.

"Mother Dairy has always embodied purity and trust—values that are deeply connected with maternal virtues. Through Spotify's platform, we were able to bring these values closer to our audience, celebrating the universal emotion of care and compassion. Being honoured at Spotify Hits reaffirms our belief in the power of storytelling that transcends traditional product communication, creating deep connections and meaningful resonance with audiences." said a Mother Dairy spokesperson at the event.

The campaign was recognised in the ‘Seized the Moment’ category for campaigns that successfully leverage cultural trends or events. It achieved remarkable results, reaching 5 million unique users and garnering 260,000 clicks. A Brand Lift Study conducted afterwards revealed a 30-point increase in campaign awareness and a 28-point rise in message association, strengthening Mother Dairy’s position as a brand that audiences connect with.

Royal Enfield: Where Music Meets the Open Road

Royal Enfield’s campaign swept the IRL category for its innovative approach to blending motorcycling culture with music. At the heart of the campaign was a partnership with Spotify that brought two passions together—motorcycling and music—through live activations and digital engagement.

The campaign kicked off with Spotify’s The Stage, an interactive ad format that lets users take a Rider Persona quiz. Based on their answers and listening preferences, users received recommendations for riding destinations, personalized playlists, and their ideal Royal Enfield motorcycle. The playlists, curated by Spotify’s algorithm and including Royal Enfield’s soundtracks, captured the spirit of the open road, inviting fans to feel part of Motoverse long before the event began.

On the ground, Royal Enfield’s cultural connection came alive through a dedicated stage for Spotify RADAR artists at its flagship community event Motoverse. It was also a brand partner at Spotify’s live hip-hop music event Rap 91. These activations extended the brand’s reach beyond motorheads to a wider audience of music lovers, adventurers, and culture explorers.

Cultural Marketing in Action

What made both campaigns shine was their ability to connect deeply with their audience by tuning into cultural nuances and emotional triggers. “Understanding culture isn’t just about identifying trends—it’s about translating them into stories that feel personal and relevant,” said Niyati Sah, Enterprise Marketing Lead - India & Southeast Asia at Spotify and part of the judging panel at Spotify Hits. “Both Mother Dairy and Royal Enfield achieved this by leaning into emotion and storytelling, creating campaigns that not only engaged people but left them feeling something.”

Spotify Hits India 2024 celebrated the most-loved advertising on the platform, showcasing campaigns from AMFI, Sensodyne, ICICI Bank, Converse, Lakme, Palmolive, MAC Cosmetics, Maybelline, OPPO, and SBI Life Insurance. The program culminated in a grand event at JW Marriott, Juhu Mumbai on November 27, and was attended by leaders from 45+ brands and their agency partners. It featured a screening of the campaigns, an announcement of the finalists across categories, and a musical performance by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.