Professor Sarah Montano, from the Marketing department at Birmingham Business School, unpacks the Taylor Swift marketing model.
Taylor Swift's yet-to-be-released album has been associated with the colour orange. Photo credit: Thomas Jackson via Alamy.
On the announcement of Taylor Swift’s 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, Professor Sarah Montano said:
“With the latest news that Taylor Swift is entering her ‘Showgirl’ era, fans are once again counting down the days until the release of her next album. Her last album, The Tortured Poets Department, broke records for the most-streamed album on Spotify. Her impact on generating revenue, known as the Swiftonomics effect, saw her recent Eras Tour bring in over $1 billion for her and contribute £967 million to the UK economy. As such, there will be great expectations on Swift to achieve the same heights with her newest musical offering, not only for her own commercial ambitions, but to drive revenue for others.
“Known as an epic storyteller who reveals her innermost thoughts via her lyrics, there will also be expectations that once again, fans will hear her ever-evolving story in intimate detail. This mastermind reputation also carries through to her signature cryptic marketing strategy. For The Life of a Showgirl announcement, no information has been officially shared other than the name and shipment deadline of the album. Swift herself held up a blurred vinyl of the unreleased album on a New Heights podcast episode, but other than that, information has been scant.
“The success of any artist or marketing campaign is never guaranteed; even big stars and brands get it wrong sometimes. However, if we look at the teasers, clues and lack of information as a marketing tactic, and the accompanying media coverage that has been generated in the last 24 hours, then a strategy that drives curiosity and interest seems likely to succeed and mirror former record-breaking achievements. As with any launch, it is a risky strategy to tease and make customers wait when immediacy of access to a product or service is desired by modern-day customers. Already, supposed leaked photographs of the track list and album art are circulating online, but this may drive even more interest and hype.
“If there is any criticism of this marketing approach, then it is likely that Taylor Swift will simply shake it off, and surely, expected high revenues will be received as good karma for the singer.”
Professor of Retail Marketing
Sarah Montano is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, UK.
