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The Swift Shift: Promotional Marketing Strategies (Taylor’s Version) – How do the possibilities of social media and online fan engagement influence artists like Taylor Swift in their approach to the promotion of album releases?

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Thesis embargoed until 30th April 2027(2.17 MB)

Date

2025

Authors

Supervisor

Trelease, Rebecca
Nairn, Angelique

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Master of Communication Studies

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

This thesis examines how Taylor Swift strategically uses TikTok to transform music promotion through her Red (Taylor's Version) campaign. Using qualitative case study methodology and thematic analysis of four curated TikTok texts from May-November 2021, this research investigates how Swift leverages the #SwiftTok ecosystem to promote previously released music in a saturated digital marketplace. Grounded in transmedia storytelling theory (Jenkins, 2010), parasocial relationship theory (Reinikainen et al., 2020), and creative marketplace theory (Hirsch, 1972; Caves, 2000), the study analyses Swift's promotional timeline across three stages: pre-announcement speculation, post-announcement engagement, and post-release narrative expansion. Key findings reveal that Swift employs sophisticated strategies combining "Easter egg" deployment, choreographed engagement, and transmedia storytelling to transform traditional top-down marketing into a participatory ecosystem. Rather than conventional promotional methods, Swift cultivates parasocial relationships through carefully curated interactions that maintain authenticity while maximizing fan participation. Her transmedia narratives ensure continuous promotional momentum by embedding clues about future releases within current campaigns, transforming each album cycle into a launching pad for subsequent projects. The research demonstrates Swift's approach represents a fundamental shift from label-driven to fan-centred promotional strategies, where user-generated content and interactive participation become central to commercial success. Her re-recording campaign challenges traditional industry power dynamics regarding artist ownership while redefining music consumption as a hedonistic, experiential process prioritizing emotional and symbolic value over novelty. This study contributes to understanding evolving artist-fan-platform relationships in contemporary music promotion, offering practical implications for artists and marketers seeking to leverage participatory culture for sustained engagement. The findings provide a framework for understanding audience-driven marketing in participatory media environments, bridging academic theory with industry practice to illuminate how digital transformation reshapes promotional landscapes across creative industries.

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Permanent link

http://hdl.handle.net/10292/20022

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Masters Theses