CANNES, France — Spotify and Coach have announced a new global cultural partnership aimed at creating experiential marketing activations that connect with Gen Z through the intersection of music, fashion, and community.
The announcement was made during a panel at Spotify Beach during Cannes Lions, where Coach Chief Marketing Officer Joon Silverstein joined Spotify Global Head of Ads Business Marketing Bridget Evans, artist Troye Sivan, and Cosmopolitan and Seventeen Editor-in-Chief Willa Bennett to discuss what it takes for brands to earn trust and loyalty from younger consumers.
At the heart of the partnership is a shared understanding of how Gen Z approaches identity and self-expression.
“One of the things we learned from our Gen Z consumers is that they don’t think about identity in terms of categories,” said Evans. “So what they wear, what they listen to, the communities they’re part of, it’s all part of the same personal story. And that’s why this partnership feels so natural.”
The collaboration will focus on bringing together Coach’s fashion heritage and Spotify’s role in music culture to create experiences that resonate both on-platform and in real life.
“At Coach, self-expression lives in style. At Spotify, it lives in music,” Silverstein said. “Together, we’re going to be building something that goes beyond both — turning those things into real connections, including experiences people can share together in real life.”
For Spotify, the partnership builds on the role the platform already plays in the everyday lives of young consumers.
“This partnership makes complete sense because both of our brands have been fortunate enough to earn a role in the daily lives of Gen Z already,” said Evans. “So with Coach that is through what they’re wearing and self-expression and self-identity. Whereas with Spotify, we really play a role in people’s lives, specifically Gen Z, because we’re kind of like that soundtrack to everything they do. So we’re a part of their lives during the big moments that they’re experiencing as well as just the ordinary, everyday ones.”
According to both brands, the partnership reflects a broader shift in how younger consumers engage with brands. Rather than looking for products alone, Gen Z is increasingly seeking connection, belonging, and opportunities for self-expression.
“This really represents a deep collaboration built on a shared belief in the power of self-expression, connection, community,” Evans added.
Silverstein noted that Coach’s approach differs from traditional luxury marketing strategies that centered on defining aspiration from the top down.
“Unlike the old luxury playbook, which is to define aspiration from the top down and tell consumers what to want, we’re focused on creating space for people to explore their identities, express the many sides of themselves and connect with people who have shared values,” she said.
That philosophy informs everything from Coach’s “Explore Your Story” campaign to Coachtopia and the brand’s partnerships across sports and culture.
“We used to talk a lot about the attention economy. And I think today we’re living in the connection economy,” Silverstein said. “The brands that win will be the brands that don’t just reach people, but the brands that bring people together.”
To better understand young consumers, Coach has invested in ongoing conversations with Gen Z audiences across global markets.
“We talk to young people across global markets not asking what they buy, but learning about who they are, how they live, what inspires them, what holds them back, who they’re trying to become,” Silverstein explained. “We’re working hard to earn a real place in their lives. And one of the things we’ve learned is that they’re not looking for just product. They’re looking for connection and belonging.”
The research has revealed that Gen Z consumers no longer think about identity through traditional cultural silos.
“Consumers don’t think of identity in categories like music, fashion, sports, creators,” Silverstein said. “They’re moving fluidly across all of it and building identity as they go.”
As a result, Coach has shifted its focus toward fostering communities and co-creation rather than relying solely on brand storytelling.
“When we think about our job as a brand, it’s not to tell people who to be,” she said. “We think a little bit less with the terminology fandom, but really thinking about all our many diverse communities around the world and how we increasingly co-create with them so that it’s not about telling our story — it’s about helping them tell theirs.”
Artist Troye Sivan, who joined the discussion, echoed the importance of authenticity in building lasting communities. Reflecting on his journey from posting videos on YouTube in 2007 to becoming a global music star, he emphasized the value of treating audiences with respect.
“One of the things that I learned from trying to curate this community online was that people are smart and you have to treat them as such,” Sivan said. “I think people can feel immediately when something is inauthentic.”
Throughout his career, authenticity has remained his guiding principle.
“At every step of the way I’ve asked myself, what do I think is actually interesting to me and actually cool to me?” he said. “And have been lucky enough to have this incredible community of people who have kind of followed along for the whole thing.”
For both Coach and Spotify, that lesson is central to the partnership’s future. Rather than chasing attention, the brands are betting that authentic self-expression, shared identity, and meaningful experiences will be the foundation for lasting consumer relationships.
As brands navigate an increasingly fragmented cultural landscape, the partnership signals a belief that the strongest connections will come not from defining culture, but from creating spaces where communities can define it for themselves.
