The Taylor Bowl Super Bowl kicks off on Monday, February 12th, in Australia, and viewers all over the world will have their eyes peeled for one star – Taylor Swift (who, if widely speculated calculations are to be believed, will make it from her Eras Tour show in Tokyo just in time for kick-off).
Since going public with her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, she has been spotted in the VIP box at his games, cheering him on and wearing the team colours, sitting with his family and WAGs.
Interest, intrigue, and her dedicated legion of fans have followed the couple all the way to the NFL’s biggest game of the year, the Super Bowl.
Kate O’Loughlin
While many are quick to be pessimistic about Swift, Kate O’Loughlin, associate strategy director at Initiative and proud Swiftie, told Mediaweek that there is no doubt the Grammy winner will significantly impact this year’s Super Bowl.
“It’s significant because she is genuine in her love for Travis. He treats her like any man should treat a woman. You can see in her tour content, her showing up to his games. You can see the genuine joy on her face.”
O’Loughlin noted that media observations and perceptions of Swift’s dating history have been problematic; her fans have rallied behind this new relationship and given it the power it has today.
“It’s such a beautiful expression of fandom that all these people are so genuinely supportive and want to engage in a new sport they would otherwise not have participated in. I’ve never watched an NFL game in my life, and here I am watching the last Mad Monday round.
“Through her pure joy and happiness, she’s rallied her fans around something they otherwise wouldn’t have looked at.
But how is Swift doing this? Why does she have a commanding influence?
For O’Loughlin, it comes down to Swift’s career longevity and character.
Swift began her career in her teens and is now in her 30s, and her music spans a wide range of genres, covering country, pop, rock, and folk.
O’Loughlin explained: “She’s been a big part of not only the people who grew up with her but the people who have fallen into the fandom since. She has such a large breadth of music. So many types of artists have been able to get involved with her. It doesn’t matter if you like pop; she’s got something for you.”
She noted that Swift has also demonstrated what it means to be a “strong, sure-of-yourself woman, who isn’t afraid to back down” throughout her career. Swift has also shown what it means to value female friendships, as seen in her 1989 era (who remembers Girl Squad?) and the Selena Gomez documentary.
These traits resonate with many of her fans (regardless of age and gender) and speak so much about Swift’s ability to “galvanise genuine action”.
O’Loughlin highlighted Swift’s record-setting album re-records as an example of how she can influence purchasing power.
Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version)
But for O’Loughlin, Swift’s release of The Vault tracks (unreleased music from past albums) and her willingness to be even more open with fans about her life and the time has drawn Swifties and be further invested.
“We feel like we genuinely know her, and she’s done that throughout her career. In 2013, she used to hold listening parties and find fans on Tumblr, invite them to her home, and play them the album two weeks before it was meant to be released.
“She asked them for feedback and genuinely took that on. She has always put her fans first. So, people are willing to invest in her just because they think she will invest and spend back in me.”
Taylor Swift’s presence at the Super Bowl will undoubtedly bring more eyeballs to the game, which is a big opportunity for brands and advertisers.
O’Loughlin said the biggest opportunity is with the teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
“I’ve already seen fan memes of the two teams because the logos are both red. There are memes of Red versus Red (Taylor’s Version) because the Chiefs are Taylor’s team.”
“Products and merchandising mimicking Taylor’s merchandising within the context of the Super Bowl teams and sporting gear, that’s probably the biggest opportunities because that’s something that fans can get around, embrace, wear and show off. It’s like another cultural marker of their commitment to Taylor,” she added.
So can should brands, advertisers and marketers learn from this moment driven by Taylor Swift and her fans ahead of the Super Bowl?
O’Loughlin said: “There is no subject too young, too silly, or too pop for brands to galvanise.”
“No matter who you are, every consumer above the age of 12 has money, and those below it have an impact. No subject should be considered too silly to be involved in a marketing campaign, and she’s proven the power of that.”
Looking ahead to Super Bowl day, O’Loughlin said she hopes to see brands and advertisers move away from stunt-type ads and be conscious of the current economic and socio-political climate.
“The world calls for brands to be more empathetic to consumers, and for me, I hope that they use the cost of that airtime wisely and as an opportunity to genuinely connect and offer value to consumers’ lives, not just be a simple flash in the pan gimmick.”
As a Swiftie, O’Loughlin shared that her ultimate dream would be for Taylor to take over from Usher as the halftime performer.
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Top image: Taylor Swift