Many lessons for brands in Taylor Swift’s marketing success

By any measure – male, female, singer, songwriter, businessperson or marketer – Taylor Swift is on top of the world right now.

Taylor Swift performs onstage at the Tokyo Dome last week. Picture: Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

In one of Taylor Swift’s songs, The Man, she famously and powerfully challenges society’s double standards when it comes to women saying: “If I was a man, then I’d be the man.’’

Well, by any measure – male, female, singer, songwriter, businessperson or marketer – Taylor Swift is on top of the world right now.

Unless you live under a rock, you would be more than aware that the Taylor Swift juggernaut is coming to Australia and Tay Tay mania has taken hold. You don’t have to have a teenage daughter to come across a passionate Swiftie who is more than willing to volunteer an opinion on how amazing Taylor is.

Full disclosure: I am definitely not one of them.

While estimates vary, some experts claim that her concerts, and everything associated with them, will contribute over $1bn to the Australian economy.

That is a staggering amount for one artist to generate.

On the ground in Australia, some brands are already seeing the hype translate into sales, with multi-brand beauty company Mecca among them. Sales of a red lipstick from beauty brand Nars have soared by 90 per cent in the past week, according to the company.

So, what is all the fuss about?

Taylor is dominating popular culture and music around the world. She is a global icon. Dare I say the Queen of Pop (apologies to Beyonce’s fans).

She is worth $US1.1bn, was recently crowned Billboard’s Woman of the Decade, and was the highest paid celebrity in the world in 2019.

Not to mention the countless awards she has won for her music.

 

A Swiftie poses for photos outside the Tokyo Dome shortly before the start of the first leg of Taylor Swift’s Asia-Pacific Eras Tour in Tokyo last week. Picture: AFP

Whether you love her music or not, you have to be impressed with all she has achieved at the still very young age of 32.

The sheer volume of Swiftie fans is hard to comprehend. There are various estimates, but let’s stick to the hard numbers. Taylor has over 280 million followers on Instagram, 80 million on Facebook and tens of millions on other platforms. Obviously, there will be some duplication in these numbers, but it is what she does with this fan base that is fascinating.

It is so large and so powerful, that what she says reverberates throughout the music industry, influences popular culture, and apparently even has a few Republicans in the US worried about the upcoming election.

This incredibly loyal fan base didn’t happen by chance.

Swift is widely recognised as being a marketing powerhouse, employing strategies that have captivated and motivated audiences around the world.

There has been plenty of analysis of what has made Taylor so successful.

My view on the top three points is as follows.

First, Swift has a legendary connection with her fans, something she cultivates carefully and supercharges through social media.

Unlike many other celebrities that like to keep their distance, Taylor directly engages on a more personal level, inviting them into her world.

This direct relationship builds an illusion of intimacy with her “friends”.

Of course, it is carefully curated by a team of brand and marketing professionals, but her apparent authenticity and willingness to bring her fans into her life has contributed significantly to the size and loyalty of her fan base.

Second is her mastery of social media and content marketing. It is impressive. Taylor knows how to keep her fans happy and engaged with a constant stream (but not too much) of exclusive content, secret codes in songs, behind the scenes glimpses into her life, interviews and more. This level of engagement creates a sense of community and leaves the Swifties feeling valued and appreciated. For the fans, this generates a greater sense of loyalty and affiliation, perpetuating the cycle. It really is clever and done on a global scale.

Finally, the power of reinvention. Not only has Taylor adapted her music and personal style over time – from country princess to pop diva – but, importantly she has managed to stay relevant (and popular: 14 Grammy wins and 54 nominations in total as of last week) in a fast-moving industry. Throughout this reinvention, she has managed to captivate new audiences, while keeping her existing fans happy.

To be honest, I started researching this article as a Tay Tay sceptic and not much of a fan. I can’t say I am now a Swiftie, but I can appreciate the talent, determination and business acumen that is behind the colossal success of Taylor Swift.

For brands, there are a few lessons to extract from this. The power of emotional connections with your customers is not a new concept, but do most brands do it well? Authenticity pays huge dividends on social media and helps to build a loyal community, but are most brands willing to be vulnerable enough or take the necessary risks? Finally, for long-term success, do brands have the courage to reinvent themselves to remain relevant?

Josh Faulks is chief executive of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA).