Released on October 3, Taylor Swift‘s twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, is taking over social media feeds. With Swift’s popularity and cultural clout up for grabs, it is no surprise brands are latching onto the moment once again—baby, that’s show business for you.
Uber is featuring Taylor Swift-themed in-app promos and real life activations, featuring a pop-up and cat adoption center experience nationwide. Starbucks is playing Taylor Swift-themed playlists in stores across the country, in addition to a opening a pop-up “The Life of a Showgirl Starbies coffeehouse” in Nashville. Even appliance brands are tapping into the trend, with KitchenAid teasing 12 limited edition glittery orange stand mixers, a nod to this new era’s color palette.
As everyone hops into Swift’s dazzling moment, brands are not only looking to participate, but also stand out in a sea of orange glitter.
“The safest moves are subtle, clever tie ins that connect authentically,” says Stacy Jones, founder and CEO of the creative ad agency Hollywood Branded. “A snack brand might position around Swiftie movie nights. A streaming platform could create themed playlists. A travel brand could highlight destinations tied to her tour stops. The idea is to add to the fan experience, not hijack it.”
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Popular campaigns often revolve around snacks, like Baked by Melissa’s Life of a Showgirl-inspired cupcake set. Featuring the album’s colors and an “in my showgirl era” label, the limited edition set makes sense with the cupcake-brand’s larger brand identity.
“We are all about celebrating moments of joy—and this album drop was the perfect opportunity to give our community a treat that adds joy to an already fun moment,” Melissa Ben-Ishay told Inc. Ben-Ishay and her team decided to advertise the cupcakes before the release in order for fans to be able to enjoy them as they listened to The Life of a Showgirl.
Brands don’t even need to create a new product to participate on the trend. Insomnia Cookies—the Philadelphia-headquartered cookie chain that’s popular with college campuses—released a 13-cookie pack (a nod to one of Swift’s most common Easter eggs), for the price of 12. Additionally, the company rolled out a free delivery “SHOWGIRL” promo and a limited edition chai cookie (Swift’s reported favorite cookie).
“We were always planning to launch the chai latte cookie as part of the fall lineup, and it just happened to be that Taylor Swift loves Chai cookies,” Insomnia’s chief marketing officer, Katie Seawell told Inc.
Swift’s stardom, however, is large enough for opportunities beyond promos and products, with hospitality and experiential offerings flooding the gates as well. The Dallas-based Hotel Crescent Court is expanding the day’s programming to include a The Life of a Showgirl SwifTEA, a high tea offering with punny menu items and easter eggs gallore. Washington D.C’s Lady Madison bar teamed up with Campari for a spritz listening party, tied in with Swift-inspired cocktail garnishes.
With every brand taking in a different approach, its clear the key is all about creativity and authenticity to their brand, and experts agree.
“Know your customer, know your voice, and then see if you can fit that into into this cultural moment,” says Jamie Domenici, chief marketing officer of Klaviyo, a B2C marketing company.
And, as the moment dies down, brands must move beyond a momentary trend to prevent getting lost in the ether. “Build on loyalty, build on ongoing communication, build on offering content. It cannot just be a one moment thing,” Domenici adds. “You have to really build that relationship. Those are the brands that win.”