From signing a record deal at the age of 14 where she quickly rose as a country music star to becoming arguably the biggest pop sensation in the world today, Taylor Swift has come a long way and if you’re still one of the few who think that her talent begins and ends in a recording studio or sold-out arena, then you haven’t been paying attention.
Sure, she’s a pop star, but she’s also a mastermind (that’s right, we said mastermind) when it comes to marketing the Taylor Swift brand.
Whether she’s breaking records set by Rock and Roll legends like Elvis Presley or crashing ticket booking websites for her Eras Tour which grossed over USD 1 billion (and boosted the U.S. economy, no biggie), today she’s become a household name and a global powerhouse.
As one of the planet’s most successful social media influencers, Swift has built a brand that’s been eyeing global domination for years. It also doesn’t hurt that her musical prowess has made her a consistent contender at practically every music award show on the planet because her genre-pushing music is loved by diverse audiences.
But how did this megastar who came from humble beginnings make it big?
While Swift has plenty of creativity and business savvy to go around, she didn’t build her empire alone and she didn’t do it overnight either. Her every move was carefully planned by a team that evolved with her through every era of her music career (pun intended!).
From creating the Taylor Swift brand to making sure that demand for her brand never waivered, her marketing team has made her into who she is today and there are lessons to be learned! So grab your favourite T-Swift mug, put on your Eras Tour t-shirt, and we’ll tell you exactly how she did it.
Lesson #1: Create immersive experiences
Let’s start with the Eras Tour since we’re pretty sure most of you are or know someone who is a die-hard Swiftie who’s just coming down from the adrenaline of the record-breaking concert. Whether you’re a fan or not, what we can all agree on is that it was more than just a concert. It was an immersive experience that engaged all of your senses.
Custom cocktails and elaborate stage designs were all a part of the experience and attendees were given RFID wristbands that were pre-programmed to make sure that there was no fraud or theft and couldn’t be copied.
When Swift started belting out her 2014 hit Bad Blood, the pyrotechnics were intense enough to make the audience feel its warmth. The audience also had the chance to watch pre-recorded content that supported the song she was performing on her LED-covered stage—which made the story more relatable.
Lesson: In a nutshell, you need to create captivating experiences that transport your audience into an immersive world. Consumers today want memorable experiences and using technology to do this is just one of the ways that businesses can create better engagement. Keep your finger on the pulse of emerging trends and the technologies that are pushing you ahead.
Lesson #2: Build and reinvent
Universal appeal is a big reason why Swift has been relevant all these years. From Baby Boomers to young digital natives, her brand of music and aesthetic has a unique experience for everyone. While achieving all this comes with its own set of challenges, sustaining the momentum for years to come, especially with cultural shifts and industry changes makes the Taylor Swift brand that much more endearing and impressive.
How did she do it? She studied her fans. Swift creates a loop of continuous feedback between herself and her fans. She adds a bit of human touch into the marketing mix using video content, data-driven insights on musical arrangements, and engaging in social media campaigns that appeal to a larger audience segment.
From writing a USD 1,989 check for a fan who’s struggling with student debt to inviting her fans to dance in her ‘Shake It Off” video, she’s a master at well-placed authentic fan engagement, giving her the ability to be one of the biggest drivers of her brand success.
Lesson: Engage with your audience regularly and make use of those interactions to guide your marketing and branding decisions. If the market’s shifting, then don’t be afraid to say goodbye to the past and reinvent yourself. It’s all about keeping your brand fresh and relevant in a world where everyone is trying to be unique.
Lesson #3: Partnerships and Collaborations
During her career, Swift has never shied away from collaborations if the result is something that pushes the creative envelope and brings her closer to unexplored audiences.
Similar to traditional brand partnerships, Swift’s musical collaborations are cross-promotional, giving multiple audiences the ability to experience her expanded brand reach, extending beyond her current fanbase and even genre.
She’s worked with an eclectic mix of musical heavyweights from Kendrick Lamar, HAIM, ZAYN and Ed Sheeran, to name a few.
But Swift doesn’t draw the line there. She steps over it and teams up with brands that portray her values including Apple Music and eco-conscious beauty giant, Cover Girl.
Lesson: For your audience to be conscious of your existence at every moment of every day, keep expanding your brand reach and don’t be afraid to work with other brands to explore audiences that you’ve been missing out on.
Build your brand—the Taylor Swift brand way!
Unrivalled storytelling, unwavering commitment to fans, and strategic partnerships that add value to everyone have been the secret sauce that’s worked time and time again for Taylor Swift, cementing her place as a cultural icon that will be celebrated for decades to come.
As marketers, we tend to look at similar brands in similar industries and follow their lead, without knowing that other industries are light years ahead and have so much to offer.
Taylor Swift is just one of many out-of-the-box examples of how marketing has evolved and continues to evolve. So the next time you’re hunting for a new marketing strategy, think big and ask yourself—what would Taylor Swift do?