Image by M. H. from Pixabay
Advocacy organizations, including the Working Families Party, 50501 Movement, and Indivisible, have launched a campaign titled Spotify Unwrapped in response to Spotify’s continued hosting of recruitment advertisements from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to campaign materials, the effort aims to draw attention to what organizers describe as a contradiction between the company’s widely celebrated Spotify Wrapped feature, marketed as a reflection of culture, community, and creativity, and its acceptance of ads from a federal agency that many immigrant-rights groups view with concern. Strategy Director Nelini Stamp of the Working Families Party noted that community members and listeners had previously objected to the ads, but the company has not removed them.
The Unwrapped initiative adopts visual formats similar to those used in Wrapped, repurposing them as informational graphics outlining the controversy and encouraging public engagement. Some of the materials reference prominent artists such as Lady Gaga, Tyler, The Creator, and Chappell Roan to illustrate how the ads appear within the broader listening environment.
The campaign arrives amid broader, ongoing criticism of Spotify regarding artist compensation and advertising transparency. Organizers state that their objective is not to undermine the platform’s annual milestone but to prompt discussion about the ethical implications of hosting certain categories of government advertising.
