If you want a primer on what successful brand management entails, look no further than Taylor Swift. One of the biggest pop stars of the 21st century, Swift burst onto the scene in 2006. Originally a country music artist, Swift eventually switched to pop music. With a career spanning almost two decades, Swift has celebrated one chart-topping hit after another.
She’s not been without controversy, however. Cultural commentators and some fans recently slammed the icon for a needless dig at sportsbroadcaster Kayla Nicole – her finance’s ex-girlfriend – on the song, Opalite. While she definitely could have gone without doing so, Swift has still maintained a devoted following.
Her PR success is worth a case study. I have neither the time nor the bandwidth to do so at this moment, yet I’m still interested in briefly unpacking Swift’s PR machine.
Before doing so, let me provide a brief primer on public relations. Public relations is the management of one’s relationship with various publics. While it considers numerous components, most people are referring to media relations when they talk about PR, especially where celebrities are concerned. That’s the lens I’ll use for this post.
You may ask what makes Swift so unique or what her PR machine entails. There are at least four elements that contribute to Swift’s enduring appeal and worldwide stardom.
Appeals to multiple demographics.
I was stunned to learn a few years ago that Swift appealed to girls as young as 6. A handful of kids in our old neighborhood sold bracelets, hoping to raise enough money to attend a Taylor Swift concert. I quickly learned that Swift easily appealed to little girls, to tweens, Gen Z, millennials and Gen X fans. This vast age range of supporters means that her fanbase will never subside. Young girls may admire her look and style. They may not know her the lyrics to all her songs, nor should they. But by appealing to young girls, she gives herself a longer period of time to ingratiate herself to this audience. Millennials and Gen X may relate to Swift’s truth-telling around relationships. The fact that she appeals to so many different demographics gives her an opportunity to generate goodwill, over a lengthy period of time, among a broader array of people.
Longevity.
Most successful brands have longevity. They do not go away. The longer they are on the market the greater the exposure. Taylor Swift has been on the scene for almost twenty years. In addition to longevity, she’s earned multiple chart-topping hits. This alone gives the media multiple opportunities to cover her, which in terms increases her exposure and brand awareness. Accordingly, roughly half of Americans consider themselves to be Taylor Swift fans, according to a 2024 Harris Poll. This says nothing of the people who self-identify as Swifties and would drop between $5,000 to $14,000 to see her at a concert or festival.
Embodiment of the typical American woman.
When many people envision the typical American girl, they picture someone like Taylor Swift. That is, someone who is relatable, or someone who could easily be their daughter, sister, niece or friend. While the nation is incredibly diverse, given its history with slavery and racism, many people only see European when they think of what it means to be American. Swift benefits from this representation of America. America loves people who project the image that it has of itself. To be clear, I’m stating what is, not what I believe to be right.
Honesty around Heartbreak.
Most people will experience heartbreak at one point or another. While heartbreak is part of the life experience, not everyone is comfortable talking about love deferred on a large stage. When a romantic relationship ends, many celebrities paint a rosy picture of what happened, with some version of “I wish X or Y the best.” Not Swift. She has been known to use her relationships as the basis for large chunks of her music. “We are Never Getting Back Together,” “Dear John,” or “I Knew You Were Trouble,” were successful because they articulated sentiments shared by many. Swift has a whole catalog of songs about heartbreak and those songs have done very well. So not only is she singing about failed relationships, but she’s signaling to her fans that she is just like them, and that she’s not afraid to share her heart.
Unpacking Swift’s PR machine looks like examining each of these factors and more. This is because public relations isn’t just about what you say. It’s also about how you make people feel. To the extent that you can take people on a never-ending journey, affirming that you are just like them, is the extent to which your brand will skyrocket. If you commit yourself to never giving up, you can’t help but to find success.
Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer®, is an author, lecturer and strategic communications expert. Check out our blog posts and subscribe for updates.