Written by Sydney Sabesan
Media Analytics Executive
Taylor Swift. Eras Tour. Taylor Swift. Travis Kelce. Taylor Swift. Movie. Taylor Swift. Saturday Night Live. Taylor Swift. Cultural Revolution. Whether you are a fan of her music or not, no matter what context you hear Taylor Swift, she’s everywhere. Taylor Swift has reached a level of attention that is being coined as the “Taylor Effect.” There might only be one of her, but she’s everywhere.
“Taylor Swift soon to be America’s youngest self-made female billionaire,” has miraculously become the face of fame over this past year, with her Eras Tour pulling in an estimated 4.1 billion dollars. It has come to the point that if you look up the definition of the Taylor effect, there is a literal definition online. She has surpassed major artists, as she has been nominated for over 500 awards since the beginning of her career.
Recently, Swift has been seen with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who has been playing in the National Football League since 2013 on the Chiefs. Kelce, who is one of the best tight ends of all time, is now the third most searched-for person in America. The couple is making a dent in pop culture, influencing Swift fans to spark an interest in football.
Some people believe that this relationship is all for PR moves on both sides. No matter the intentions, the impacts are being seen in numerous industries, as well as consumer marketing. If this relationship is for PR, it is going along pretty successfully. The expanding fan bases can be seen in jersey sales, as Kelce’s jersey sales have increased by 400% since his involvement with Swift. The NFL broadcast ratings have blown through the roof, and the tickets for the Chiefs’ games are getting harder and harder to buy. The Chiefs have gained half a million new fans this season alone, which is more than any other team. Swift did not attend the Chiefs’ game against the Minnesota Vikings on October 8th. The entire week leading up to the game, the world was wondering if she was going to show. Even the mayor of Minneapolis made public statements in hopes of her going to the game. When she did not make it, CBS reporter Jim Nantz stated, "Seven words I thought would never leave my lips in my career: Taylor Swift is not at the game... She was questionable all week, but it looks like it's officially inactive.” The Chiefs' game against the New York Jets was the 2nd most-watched game this season.
The extra attention from new fans is helping the NFL grow while giving Swift some new fans of her music. Even though this relationship just started, it’s just the beginning. This is none other than the Taylor Effect.