Photo by Chaz McGregor on Unsplash

The way celebrities promote themselves can teach public relations professionals a lot. Celebrities are brands in themselves and have to find ways to capture their fans’ attention. Taylor Swift recently went through a rebranding phase that included some creative launch tactics. Check out the list below for a translation of Taylor Swift tactics for public relations.

• Taylor Swift Tactic: It’s no secret that Taylor Swift has had many haters during her career, including other celebrities. With her new music video, she brought all of the negative comments people said about her to light in a playful manner.
  • PR Tactic: Don’t be afraid to make fun of your brand. Mix a light-hearted tone in with some of your brand’s content, if appropriate. Consumers are barraged with content on a daily basis, so making social media and ads fun and authentic can be important to cut through the clutter.
• Taylor Swift Tactic: With Taylor Swift’s rebranding, she dived right into creating a whole new self. She rebranded herself as a character very different and unique to her old self – as someone dark and edgy.
  • PR Tactic: When you’re going to rebrand, you can’t take baby steps. The brand has to look and feel significantly different to show off what is, in a sense, a new self.
• Taylor Swift Tactic: Taylor Swift wiped her social media accounts in anticipation of her launch, and she started posting daily cryptic videos until the big reveal of her new single and upcoming album. The videos got the public talking.
  • PR Tactic: Draw people in before a big reveal. Brands should consider posting little teasers on social media before a new product, service or rebranding is announced.
• Taylor Swift Tactic: Not only did Taylor Swift come out with a new single and announced the date of her album release, but she also premiered her music video at the VMAs, the perfect, timely opportunity to make a splash.
  • PR Tactic: Promote your new product, service or brand at an industry-related event. Show it off to potential customers and clients in a big way.

Learning something from Taylor Swift shows us that inspiration for creative public relations tactics can come from the most unlikely places. Who knew celebrities could teach us so much!