Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, you cannot deny the power Taylor Swift commands in the marketplace. And that power is about to be unleashed, likely starting today (Wednesday, August 13th —Swift plans a lot of her events around the number 13—the day she was born).
On Tuesday, August 12th, at 12:12 a.m., Swift announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, in a promo for the New Heights podcast. If you’re not aware, New Heights is a sports podcast hosted by Swift’s boyfriend Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagle, Jason Kelce. And Swift’s appearance on New Heights marks her podcast debut and will be released August 13th at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
The announcement alone set several records:
- It was the most viewed reel on Insta reels with 155 million views in 24 hours, breaking a record
- New Heights shot to the top of Apple’s Podcast Chart
- The Google search page for “Taylor Swift” received 12.5 million likes in just one hour
What does this have to do with your small business? Depending on your industry, likely a whole lot.
Women’s World Daily (WWD) just posted an article featuring some of the jewelry Swift has worn that helped move product. It notes that, “This is part of the ‘Taylor Swift Effect’ that generates a drastic surge in sales for previously under-the-radar brands.”
And of course, the Eras Tour launched the uber-successful beaded bracelet trend. MarieClaire says Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department fashion is single-handedly responsible for a corset top resurgence.”
Pre podcast, Swift’s website shows the release’s cover shrouded in orange and green. A Spotify playlist was also released on billboards in several cities across the country, featuring the same color scheme.
Pictures of Swift wearing orange in her record-smashing Eras Tour suddenly popped up everywhere. Even the Empire State Building got in on the act, lighting up in orange lights.
We’ve talked before about how color influences trends and product design across numerous industries. Well, MarieClaire.com notes that “Swift’s official fan account, Taylor Nation, posted 12 photos of [Swift] on Instagram, all taken during the Eras Tour. While the photos display Swift wearing a variety of custom costumes…one thing is consistent: Each photo shared comes in a sorbet shade of orange-y pink, like an early September sunset.”
It’s a good bet, despite the fact, as Marie Claire points out, that the fall runway color trends “are leaning more muted and minimalist, that as The Life of a Showgirl’s roll-out continues, it will start a run on pieces in the same color family.”
And the color trend will most likely impact more than clothes. We don’t yet know what the actual release date for Swift’s newest album is, but it will be before October 13. So, stock your stores and websites now, with orange and orange-y pink merchandise.
Rieva Lesonsky is President of Small Business Currents, LLC, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. You can find her on Twitter @Rieva, Bluesky @Rieva.bsky.social, and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.
Paolo V, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons