On August 12, Taylor Swift unveiled her twelfth original studio album, titled The Life of a Showgirl, along with a sparkly orange theme on her website.
This announcement spread rapidly, akin to a burst of golden sunshine, offering a contrast to some gloomy news for women. The Bureau of Labor Statistics faced criticism due to dissatisfaction with the recently released jobs figures. Furthermore, as reports indicated, this labor market information also showed that women are withdrawing from the workforce in significant numbers.
The following day, during Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast, Taylor praised Travis’ sweatshirt. “Thanks, sweetie, it’s the color of your eyes,” Travis replied, causing immense excitement among Swifties.
Subsequently, Swift disclosed further details. Her album is set to launch on October 3, and she also unveiled its artwork and tracklist. This announcement serves not only as an illustration of contemporary American gender dynamics but also as an exceptional example of modern advertising strategy.
Within a mere 24 hours, an orange theme took over everything. Everyone, and I mean everyone, participated. Major landmarks, news outlets, and the media lit up in orange lights on Tuesday evening. Well-known brands, sports teams, and public figures joined in, showcasing orange and the number 12 to honor Taylor Swift’s twelfth album. A popular food chain displayed a garlic bread design transformed into a showgirl in tribute to the era’s new album name. A famous cat food brand featured Meredith, Taylor’s cat, surrounded by an orange glow. Even a well-known hand lotion appeared with a sparkly orange design. The roster of brands embracing this craze seemed endless.
Orange emerged as a novel social marketing approach. Business curricula at universities nationwide are expected to analyze Taylor’s effective influence on public perception. Following recent marketing trends, companies had recognized Swift’s achievement, even if they couldn’t fully comprehend her methodology. They were actively seeking to capture the attention of Taylor’s fanbase, leveraging her brand’s popularity.
Yet, what defines Taylor’s brand? “I operate within the realm of human emotion,” Swift stated during discussions about her efforts to reacquire her music catalog from the private equity firm Shamrock Capital, alongside Jason and Travis. “I would significantly prefer to approach something like this with an emotional focus.” Her focus is not solely music, entertainment, or writing, but rather human emotion.
Although Swift asserts that she has not based such business choices on anticipated returns or dividends, her strategy centered on emotion has nonetheless been crucial to her achievements. Throughout her career, Swift has consistently stayed authentic to herself and dedicated effort to understanding her audience. She constructs her offerings around human emotions—both her own and those of her fans.
The day prior to the announcement, I had been collaborating with a librarian, exploring methods to develop research skills among an incoming class of freshmen who would be enrolled in my new course, [Course Name]. The librarian mentioned she joined the fandom relatively recently, explaining that the relationship between Taylor and Travis particularly captivated her, bringing her considerable joy to observe.
Over a million listeners tuned into the New Heights podcast on the evening Swift’s announcement was made. The emotional allure of a fresh revelation or any small piece of new information about the artist’s life exerted a widespread magnetic attraction. Human emotion proves to be a powerful sales driver.
During pivotal, historical periods such as our current one, where government initiatives, [economic sectors], and [demographics] face difficulties in the labor market, emotional appeal becomes even more potent. As advertisers increasingly focus on key market influencers, they will turn to megastars like Taylor Swift and align themselves with her vibrant orange brand.
In turn, she will engage with her fans, who are eager to spend generously for the opportunity to experience the human emotions she offers, whether through CDs, vinyl, cassettes, or any other medium. While perhaps not all her fans will purchase the orange Play-Doh, they will undoubtedly acquire the music that she so meticulously, flawlessly, and accurately presented as a soundtrack—and they will consume it avidly. She will bring them joy during what might otherwise be perceived as somber periods.
This phenomenon I term “Swiftynomics.” It represents women’s capacity to lead consumption and marketing trends by leveraging their human experiences for financial gain. It involves women supporting each other, and it flourishes currently, even amidst these difficult circumstances.
A business model founded on human emotions constitutes a shrewd, strategic operational blueprint. An economy that prospers from the emotions and authentic realities of genuinely strong women is an economy we should collectively strive to construct, both in the present era and beyond.
If this is what Taylor is offering, then I am fully on board.
