When Taylor sings - all of social media listens

What is almost everyone talking about right now? Well from what I can tell it’s all about Taylor Swift and her newest album The Tortured Poets Department. It wasn't long after I opened my feed that I was given my first glimpse,

Now - you may be asking, what does Ms. Swift have to do with marketing? Well she is a brand. She has spent years cultivating her brand - storytelling through music. Building a community through her music that brings people together. Her fan base, The Swifties, are die hard fans. Her Otakus. With fans like hers, there is little need for advertising.

Taylor’s Value proposition is being true to oneself, and bringing emotions to life through music. With her music she shares the parts of her life that only she knows - feelings. She has been able to bring people of all ages and genres together through a mutual shared connection - emotions. Her newest album The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD) is no different.

For more about Taylors musical history try looking over this Taylor Swift musical timeline https://www.officetimeline.com/blog/taylor-swift-timeline 

The current talks online regarding the newest album The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD) range from praise to disdain. Not surprising - it seems you either love her or you hate her. At least that's how people make it seem online.

As many have come online to say, Taylors new album has more cursing (she drops numerous F bombs - I'm here for it!) and she shares a more intimate side of herself, her sex life ("But Daddy I love him" and "Guilty as Sin?")

I found a post from Lindsay Bettinardi Magie absolutely fascinating. She tells her audience about her experience in going “down the rabbit hole” and immersing herself in all things Taylor Swift. Relating her research to cramming for a high school test.  The comments from that article I choose to share I feel show the community that Tayler has created for and with her fans. They share openly, and encourage each other. 

Her post starts by examining poetry - how it is often "wear your heart on your sleeve". I agree holy with that sentiment. Poetry is often full of emotions, put to paper in the only way the owner of those feelings can comprehend.

Emotions can be messy. They can be chaotic. They can be maddening. To say that using words like "fuck" makes it mean less is silly. If anything. using words that we know we all use in anger, rage, joy, love, pain - brings the audience closer to how she felt when she went through it. I cuss in my head when I am mad or hurt - why would Taylor Swift be any different?

For those who know Taylor’s music it is a known fact that she writes amazing break up songs. And this album is not different. Rebecca Charles brought this topic up with humor sharing an image of Taylor, her cat, Post Malone (featured on Fortnight), and more caring a casket with her ex boyfriend Joe Alywn. Most people thought that the album would be about the end of their 6 year relationship.

Tayler has a track record giving small pieces of information; hints, secrets, and clues; in her social media presence. It started in just her songs, but slowly over time it has taken on a real game like part of her album. Small hints for her Swifties to run and figure out what it means. TTPD is no different.  

Now that her album has been out for a couple days her fans have had a chance to figure out some of her easter eggs on TTPD and her music video for Fortnight. Just as Reagan Baylee did. in her TikTok video she tells her viewers that she believes Taylor will announce a 3rd part to TTPD. Her reasons - in the music video we see a 3 and a 5, counts the days the album launched, 5/03 will be the 123 day of the year and Taylor has posted 321 a couples times lately.

She was making connections where no one else would have seen them. (I'm marking my calendar just in case!)

Of course it's not all love. There are those who don't like the album, or artist. Take user "fitz!" who believes it's the worst Taylor album. 

Tayler and her company know how to use social media! They use it to communicate with her fans and the world. You don’t see commercials on TV for her Era’s Tour tickets, only once it went to Disney Plus (Disney marketing, not Taylor’s). You don’t hear radio commercials for her albums, you hear iHeart Radio ads using her album. You hear release dates. Steaming dates. But no push to purchase or reason to listen. One isn’t needed on platforms outside of social media. And with social media, it is not about a push to purchase but a push to listen. A push to experience her music. 

A look back at some of Taylors prior easter eggs https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/g45551106/taylor-swift-easter-eggs/

She has said in interviews such as with Jimmy Fallon that leaving these hints and “easter eggs” is fun for her, and she knows her fans love it. When she talks about it she even gets a little giggly (her inner child she isn't afraid to show)

Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp3XS0q06Wk

It is also an ingenious way of marketing her work. A Small amount of information over a long period of time keeps her fan base hooked and waiting for the next hint. The next small change she makes. Just one of the ways she brings her fans together in a community. They all work together to figure out the hints. Theory share and compare. 

Taylor does not respond to comments, as most of her posts are on her “personal”  have the comments turned off. They have no reason to read, let alone respond to the comments. Not to say she doesn't read comments on other posts about her music. She has replied to posts from artists she has collaborated with before.

I don’t feel that most posts, comments, or articles would require a response. Allowing people to continue speaking about her, her album, music, songs, clothes, and even her boyfriend only brings her more free advertising. Good or bad - it keeps her name flowing. 

Other companies like to ride the Swift ride to Visibility. American Red Cross for example:

Harvard even has a class on Taylor Swift! It goes far beyond just her lyrics. Check out more about that here: https://english.fas.harvard.edu/english-183ts-taylor-swift-and-her-world

Tayler spends so much time creating her hints and clues, metaphors      and “read  between the lines” which speak more to The Swifties than someone who may be new to hearing Taylor. The non die hard fans are kinda left to follow the bread combs of the uber fans - which can be confusing (many theories are incorrect, but can spread - fake news!). If I were Taylors brand manager I would want to find ways to include new fans, and the less obsessed fans. One way she could do this could be a specialized playlist on an app such as Spotify. She could hand select songs that she feels tell her story the best from each album - and that will help you understand her new one. This would give fans a way to “catch up” so to speak. 

I feel like this assignment has truly shown me the power of Otaku. Taylor’s fan base is so intense that they alone provide all advertising she could need. They share and share their thoughts and ideas. Constantly talking and sharing and spreading her name and songs like wildfire. Fan or not, if you are on social media and Taylor Swift releases an album there is no way for you to not know.