A global phenomenon, record breaker and possibly one of the most controversial people in the music industry, Taylor Swift has built an empire. Dedicated fans, sold-out stadiums and worldwide economic booms are just a few testaments to her wide-reaching success. With colleges like UT Austin, Harvard and Stanford already studying Taylor’s songwriting, the McCombs School of Business should take the worthwhile next step of building a class around her ingenious marketing strategies. 

As humans, we crave novelty. A study conducted in 2020 found that novelties grab our attention and make us feel more intensely, increasing the likelihood of our remembering them vividly in the long term.  

Swift takes full advantage of this phenomenon. It seems that she is constantly reinventing herself, era to era, embracing a new persona each time. 

“She’s constantly rebranding,” said marketing professor Raji Srinivasan. “(Swift is) satisfying consumer’s needs for variety. More recently, she’s doing something else cool, which is I think she’s personifying the brand and moving away from listening to music to experiencing a concert.”

Undeclared business freshman Monica Santiago noted corresponding shifts in Swift’s genre.  

“It’s kind of fascinating how she was able to transform this image of herself as a country girl, as a country singer, then she’s fully involved in pop,” Santiago said. “And then she’s in her 30s already, and by this time, many artists’ fame has decreased, however, she has been able to maintain her image and popularity. I think it’s grown.”

Experts have moved from describing Swift’s Eras Tour as simply music to “conquering the world.” But Swift’s world domination doesn’t stop at her tour, instead continuing well beyond her influence in the music industry.  

According to the Guardian, Swift’s endorsement may appreciably sway people’s political opinions in a way that transcends a Spotify playlist. In 2023, Taylor encouraged her fans to vote and sent a record-breaking amount of people to vote.org, which reported a 1,226% increase in voter registration following her Instagram post. 

Considering Swift’s massive reach, McCombs should implement a class analyzing her brand. Swift’s $1.1 billion net worth hinges on keen strategies like intentional rebranding and planting easter eggs for fans to enjoy, creating an entirely new experience for her supporters.  

Home to one of the most prestigious marketing programs in the nation, McCombs should continue pioneering innovative marketing techniques through a class that studies Swift. 

“I think marketing is a very active changing field,” Srinivasan said. “It seems that marketing is not static, but dynamic and changing and Swift is constantly matching this ideal, attesting to her love for novelty.”

Santiago explained the appeal of a McCombs class with Swiftian elements.

“Other colleges have opened up to this idea of creating a class (based on Taylor Swift) and I think it’s creative… because students are able to research something like a simple lyric that may have more meaning to it.”

The McCombs School of Business was not available to comment. 

Taylor Swift’s success story is not just about music. It’s about leveraging marketing strategies to build an empire that resonates with audiences worldwide, making her a force to be reckoned with in both the entertainment and business industries. Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, we can all take a page out of Taylor Swift’s book. 

Siddiqi is a business freshman from Spring, Texas.