Spotify Wrapped has landed once again. The gamified year-in-review first launched in 2016 and has grown into a global cultural moment – the rare brand campaign that becomes a social event in its own right.
This year, Spotify levelled up by bringing in Central Cee, PinkPantheress, and Lewis Capaldi for its first-ever Wrapped TV ad campaign, filling prime time spots in the I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here ad breaks. The ad includes cameos from social media stars Grime Gran and Bemi the Bus Aunty, connecting with UK music culture and how embedded it is with social media and the influencers we follow.
Spotify shared the overall stats, combining everyone's data, and Bunny was crowned the world’s most-streamed artist of 2025, pulling in over 19.8 billion streams and solidifying his status as a force far beyond music.
Spotify Wrapped is so popular each year because it's a perfect mix of personalization, bragging rights, and shareability thanks to the eye-catching graphics that level up every time. Millions of users voluntarily turn themselves into unpaid marketers because of the cultural relevance, and feeling FOMO if they don’t jump on the Wrapped train.
This year’s update introduced “listening age,” which is taking over social media, mostly because it seems to have aged users up – a new layer of joy for a campaign that already thrives on humour.
Wrapped also sparks a wave of brand “bandwagoning,” with companies posting their own “year in review” stats. Some audiences love the quick, playful participation, but others think that it feels repetitive and tiring. However, wrapped sets the tone for how brands can use data creatively and involve their community.
Brand opportunity
Bad Bunny topped global streams once again, making him a hot commodity for brands to partner with. A brilliant brand alignment would be Adidas. Bad Bunny’s long-standing partnership with the brand – from his sellout sneaker drops to his festival fits – means Adidas could roll out a reactive “Fit for Your Wrapped Era” creator campaign.
Fans could style outfits inspired by their top artists, with Bad Bunny leading the way. It would emphasize the crossover between music, fashion, and identity – the exact reasons that make Wrapped so shareable in the first place.
If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram recently, you’ve probably seen groups of guys in quarter-zip jumpers, sunglasses on, matcha in hand. The “quarter zip movement” has gone viral.
Earlier this month, Jason Gyamfi posted a video in Brooklyn that has reached close to 30 million views, saying: “Techs down, quarter zips up.” The clip shows him and a friend swapping Nike Tech jackets and tracksuit bottoms for a more “corporate” aesthetic – trending matcha included. It’s a parody of “elevated lifestyle” culture, slightly poking fun at young men leaning into “corporate-core” style.
The trend has taken off with creators – and even UK rapper Central Cee – joining in.
It makes sense that corporate-core is trending as Gen Z and Millennial creators aren’t the teenagers they were when TikTok first took off. As they step into full-time jobs and grown-up responsibilities, their style (and their humour) is aging up with them.
Brand opportunity
Blank Street Coffee – named by Jason and his friend in the original viral clip – could own this moment with a creator-led “Quarter Zips & Matcha Club” campaign. Blank Street could playfully celebrate the “elevated everyday” aesthetic with limited-edition drinks, free drinks for men in quarter-zips, and in-store photo moments featuring the original creators and new talent. It’s culturally relevant, creator-driven, and already written into the meme. This would be a great way for Blank Street to unlock a new audience away from the “pilates princess” category that they have largely adopted.
December always brings out a wave of festive creativity on social media, and this year, countdown challenges are everywhere. Some people stick to classic Advent calendars, lots of parents juggle 24 days of Elf on the Shelf chaos, and creators are building their own daily rituals and inviting followers to join in.
Creator Martha Walsh, for example, is running every single day in December and documenting the journey on TikTok. Her comments are full of encouragement, making what could be a solo challenge feel like a community moment.
Parents are also sharing their Elf on the Shelf setups, giving others inspiration for 24 days of elf antics around the house.
The result is an FYP that feels warm and communal – a joyful reprieve at the end of the year.
Brand opportunity
A perfect fit for this moment would be Not On The High Street. They could launch a “12 Days of Small Biz” creator countdown, where influencers spotlight one independent gift idea each day in the lead-up to Christmas. It provides gifting ideas, supports makers during peak season, and aligns with the brands purpose of celebrating thoughtful, creative presents you won’t find anywhere else.
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