How FCB New York turned an Excel file into a music video for Spotify

With the right creative team, even spreadsheets can sing. With Spreadbeats, creative directors Roxane Schneider and Pieter Claeys of FCB New York turned the humble Excel file into a music video, earning 16 D&AD Pencils including a Black Pencil, reserved for the absolute best of the best.

Media planners, often seeing Spotify as audio-only, received RFP spreadsheets coded with ASCII animations, conditional formatting and retro-tech aesthetics that transformed rows and columns into rhythm and motion. Technical constraints like a 10MB file limit fuelled creative invention, resulting in a visually stunning experience that felt playful and precise. At its heart was a story – ‘E7’ growing from a data cell into self-expression, personalised for each planner’s brand and name.

Results were extraordinary: 17:1 ROI, viral buzz, +870% engagement uplift and even Microsoft’s public endorsement. Behind the scenes, craft was rigorous – collaborations between FCB, Uncharted Limbo Collective, animators, sound teams and developers ensured every cell aligned across art and code. The work proved writing and design can redefine even the most mundane formats, elevating B2B communication into cultural spectacle. Press play to watch how Spreadbeats didn’t just sell ad space – it made media planners fall in love with the medium itself.