OVERVIEW:
The SoundCloud SoundSquad Ambassador Program drove meaningful visibility with college students by embedding the brand directly into campus culture through trusted student tastemakers. The campaign offered students an alternative way to keep music integrated into their daily college career. Immersive activations, ambassador-led social content, and peer-to-peer promotion introduced SoundCloud as both a creative platform and cultural connector—boosting awareness, engagement, and consideration among students.
By meeting students where music already lived—on campus, on social, and at key cultural moments—the program strengthened SoundCloud’s relevance with the next generation of creators and listeners while establishing a scalable model for sustained campus impact.
INSIGHT:
Art schools are being redefined by rising costs, declining application rates, and shifting perceptions of music as a career path. Yet college students haven’t abandoned music—60% of Americans say they study better while listening—highlighting its continued relevance in student life and culture.
GOALS:
The campaign set out to achieve two core objectives: first, to increase engagement and drive user acquisition among Gen-Z students; and second, to integrate SoundCloud into campus life through culturally relevant touchpoints—including live events, DJ programming, digital activations, and partnerships embedded within college social scenes.
Strategy & Creativity
SoundCloud’s experiential strategy centered on building a credible, campus-rooted engine for engagement by recruiting a collective of music-forward student leaders—DJs, artists, and playlist curators—across the AUC. The campaign tapped into Atlanta’s deep music culture and AUC traditions, leveraging students who already shape the soundtrack of campus life to naturally integrate SoundCloud into tentpole moments throughout the academic year.
Ten AUC ambassadors were selected across diverse backgrounds—including DJs, musicians, artists, and campus cultural leaders—to authentically reflect the full spectrum of campus life. The brand activated these influencers at key HBCU moments like Morehouse Hump Day and SpelHouse Homecoming, while offering meaningful access to SoundCloud executives and industry professionals through office hours and mentorship. Custom SoundCloud seeding kits—featuring AirPods, a custom varsity jacket, official jersey, Bose speaker, mini microphone, Fujifilm camera, and tripod—empowered ambassadors to create content, generate buzz, and extend the brand’s presence across campus and social.
Execution
The campaign was launched at Morehouse College’s Hump Wednesday, partnering with SoundCloud and Top Barz to bring a fully branded mobile studio to campus where students could “Jump in the Booth,” record original tracks with guidance from SoundSquad ambassadors, and upload them to SoundCloud in real time—elevated by a surprise drop-in from Atlanta producer Sonny Digital, who offered live tips on beat-making and songwriting. The second experience activated at the SpelHouse Homecoming Kick-Off Jam with an immersive SoundCloud pop-up that featured curated listening stations from AUC alumni DJs. Across both moments, SoundSquad ambassadors fueled real-time content and peer-to-peer promotion, organically expanding reach and embedding SoundCloud into the rhythm of campus culture.
Beyond campus grounds ambassadors utilized their official membership card, which encouraged fellow students to sign up for SoundCloud subscriptions and follow their personal SoundCloud pages throughout the semester.
Key Features
Jump into the Booth
SoundCheck
The campaign delivered strong, measurable impact across social and conversion metrics, generating 289 total social posts that drove 305.6K estimated impressions, 4.04M potential reach, and 253.7K video views.
Content achieved a 5% engagement rate, reflecting meaningful audience interaction and cultural resonance. These efforts translated into tangible growth for the platform, with a 276% increase in conversion among the target audience.
