Even if you don’t like Taylor Swift’s music, it’s hard to deny that she’s phenomenal. With 52 Grammy nominations, 14 awards, and the title of the most listened-to artist on Spotify, she is undoubtedly one of the brightest stars in the world.
Most of us don’t aspire to be world-famous stars, celebrities, or opinion leaders, but we can learn from Taylor Swift about marketing and personal branding.
So, what could Taylor Swift teach every marketing professional?
#1 Authenticity and vulnerability
Taylor Swift is known for her exceptional talent as a singer and songwriter. Charismatic and authentic, she connects with millions of fans around the world. Writing songs about her past experiences is her calling card. Taylor Swift herself said more than a decade ago that she doesn’t talk about her relationships in public but writes about them in her lyrics. Swift speaks through her lyrics and is not afraid to appear vulnerable, which strengthens the parasocial relationship between her and her fans. A parasocial relationship (typical of celebrities) is a one-way relationship in which one person expresses feelings and interest, while the other person is completely unaware of the other’s existence. Every business can learn from Taylor’s authenticity, which can be created by humanizing the brand. One way to do this is to strengthen employees’ personal brands. It is then much more natural and easy to speak authentically about the brand you represent.
#2 Consistency
Taylor Swift’s ability to maintain her popularity and the attention of the cameras over the years reflects nothing less than consistency. Despite noticeable changes in her music and personal style at every stage of her career, she has consistently released commercially successful albums, received critical acclaim, and topped the charts. But her success is not just about consistent effort; it is also about consistent messages in her music. Swift’s work is easily recognizable, from the lyrics to the image. According to the artist’s peers in the music industry, Taylor Swift’s popularity is also a result of her strong work ethic and dedication to her craft. Swift began her career as a country music artist. Today, her music also appeals to fans of pop and other genres as she has experimented over the years. This is a lesson that can be learned in marketing your products or services – to change as your audience’s needs change, while still maintaining your authenticity. Consistent and long-term image building, both in terms of channels or messages and effort, is key to building a strong and memorable brand.
#3 Strategic partnerships
Throughout her career, Taylor Swift has forged strategic partnerships that have helped her enter new markets and increase the appeal of her music. One such example is the partnership with CapitalOne, the sponsor of her Eras Tour. This partnership gave CapitalOne cardholders unique opportunities to get cheaper tickets to Swift’s concerts and other benefits such as limited edition albums. This partnership is a win-win situation for both parties: it allows the artist to expand her fan base, while the bank attracts a very loyal customer base by offering exclusive access to Taylor’s upcoming shows. Taylor Swift’s strategic partnerships are not only with brands but also with other artists. For example, the first single on her latest album ‘Tortured Poets Department’ features rapper Post Malone, which allows her to attract an audience that does not necessarily listen to Taylor Swift. The artist’s previous partnerships have also included artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Ice Spice, and Ed Sheeran. As in the career of a performer, so in business, our circle of contacts is also our value (your network is your net worth). Marketing professionals should think strategically about this, for example by choosing influencers based on brand audience fit, not just on follower numbers and popularity. Similar principles should apply when developing collaborations with brands – they should be developed with brands that share similar values.
#4 Riddles and games
One of the things that “carries” and connects Taylor Swift’s fans is the clues she leaves in her lyrics. Fans’ speculations about her relationships or other personal life issues are what make her interesting, and not only from a musical point of view. Taylor Swift hides hints in music videos, lyrics, travel photos, and posts on her Instagram account. Fans analyze her outfits when she appears on the red carpet and watch what accessories she wears in her music videos. Taylor Swift herself says that the best messages are cryptic, and refers to them as either riddles or riddles that can be left in clothes or jewelry. People don’t take these riddles to heart immediately, but until they realize, they get impatient, create content about it on social media, and enjoy the process. Just like in her work, a pinch of mystery doesn’t hurt in her marketing messages. On the contrary, if done consistently, it will build a loyal audience that will be constantly looking for answers. Last autumn, the case of the Lithuanian Drama Theatre was widely publicized in Lithuania, where the first message (“Don’t go to the theatre”) was a bit of a shock to a part of the public, but it was a deliberate introduction to the bigger meaning of the campaign.
#5 Resistance
Taylor Swift’s career has had its ups and downs. She has faced both criticism and personal challenges, which audiences could hear about in her songs. In 2017, despite her successes in previous years, she was not nominated for a Grammy. It was reportedly a difficult period for the singer, during which she went through personal relationship crises. In the summer of last year, Taylor Swift announced that she would re-record her album 1989. As is typical of her, she made the announcement on 9 August, the ninth day of the eighth month, during one of her performances on the Eras tour. The re-recording of the songs began back in 2019, when Swift’s old record label, Big Machine Records, with which she has been out of business since 2018, was sold to businessman Scooter Braun. The deal gave him the rights to all of Swift’s previous music recordings. This meant that anyone wishing to use Swift’s music commercially had to ask Braun for permission and pay him a licensing fee. Shortly afterwards, Taylor started re-recording all her previous songs that she had released while still with her old record company. Despite the obstacles and challenges, she continued to pursue her goals, and the results of her long-lasting stubbornness are reflected in today’s achievements and record numbers. This is a lesson not only for business but also for each of us, where short-term setbacks should not stop us from achieving bigger goals because sometimes it takes time for the effort to bear fruit.
In conclusion, Taylor Swift is a genius not only in her musical career but also in marketing. By paying attention to the strategies and tactics used by this artist, marketing professionals can gain valuable insights. Following Taylor Swift’s career is a great way to learn the subtleties of marketing, whether we like her music or not.
You may find this article in the Lithuanian language here. This article was published on LRT website.