Spotify launches video ads on desktop and mobile

Despite being an audio-only music service, Spotify today announced the launch of 15- and 30-second video ads on both desktop and mobile.

Kicking of its new advertising strategy with long-time partner Coca-Cola, Spotify says the new video ads will debut today for users of the company’s free, ad-supported service. As usual, paying users don’t have to suffer through advertisements.

The video ad launch is a peculiar one for Spotify, as it marks the streaming company’s first foray into video. Although video ads don’t put Spotify in competition with music video services like Vevo, the nature of music-centric advertising could eventually bring sponsored music videos onto Spotify. That could certainly change the dynamic of the service, were it to happen.

In addition to the video breaks, Spotify also introduced an “exclusive sponsorship” option today, which enables advertisers to display a 30-second ad after which users get to listen to music for 30 minutes ad-free.