Taylor Swift is a global pop phenomenon (that goes without saying), but she’s also an expert in branding. Beyond her musical prowess, her success has a lot to do with customizing fans’ experiences and ability to choose formats or variations that resonate with them most. The Midnights album’s colorful vinyl variations made Swift the first mainstream artist to sell more copies of an album on vinyl than CD since the 1980s, with 945,000 copies sold across all of its vinyl variants and editions (including a special “clock” fans could make if they bought four vinyls, with branded display shelves and a clock mechanism). Her strategy for variations and multiple modes of engagement speaks for itself: The Eras Tour movie ticket presales broke AMC records with $26 million in ticket sales revenue in the first 24 hours. 

How can advertisers apply customization, or personalization, to their paid media campaigns?

Segment Your Intended Ad Audiences

Similar to an artist’s fanbase, each member of your audience is unique, with different preferences, desires, and media consumption habits. Media planners assist in developing audience segments based on variations, such as:

• Demographics: e.g. age, gender, location, income level
• Interests: e.g. hobbies, preferences, lifestyles
• Behavior: e.g. purchase history, browsing habits, engagement levels

Media teams dig into audience research, historical campaign information, and data strategy to develop media plans that resonate with each segment. That nuanced understanding of varying customer journeys helps to secure quality leads.

Harness the Power of Personalization in Advertising

Taylor Swift’s music touches the hearts of her fans because it feels authentic and personal. The same applies to advertising. In today’s digital age, customers crave personalized experiences. They want to feel seen, understood, and valued by the brands they interact with. How do media buyers infuse personalization into campaigns?

• Dynamic Content: Display personalized content based on user behavior or preferences.
• Relevant Product Recommendations: Recommend products or services based on previous purchases or browsing history.
• Email Marketing: Craft personalized email campaigns that address the specific needs and interests of subscribers.

Personalized variations create a sense of exclusivity and build strong relationships with your audience, leading to increased loyalty and sales.

Embrace Storytelling in Paid Media Campaigns

Bolstering your brand with compelling messages, or stories, fosters full-funnel success. Think of each Taylor Swift era as a story, with each one supporting stronger brand awareness. When she makes an announcement, like The Eras Tour movie, it gains momentum immediately because of the pre-existing brand connection. Beyond having a library of ads, advertisers can achieve storytelling through an omnichannel paid media strategy.

Media agencies leverage audience, market, and competitive research to guide customers through a touchpoint journey, moving them from awareness to conversion. A sample customer journey could include:

• Awareness Stage: The customer might see a sponsored social media post or a TV commercial that piques their interest.

• Consideration Stage: The customer researches online, perhaps encountering social media ads or those placed programmatically. For example, contextual placements may appear on online reviews websites.

• Conversion Stage: Once the customer has sufficient information, they are ready to purchase via the brand’s website or in-store. A conversion may also include completing a form to learn more depending on the brand’s key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Combining storytelling and customer journey analysis creates impactful paid media campaigns that maximize results.

Ready for Your Next Advertising Era?

Whether you’re featuring a “surprise song” in your next campaign or not, Taylor Swift teaches us that variations are key for connecting with customers and drumming up sales. 

What do Taylor Swift and successful paid media campaigns have in common? Variations! Surprise songs generated buzz and excitement during her 2023 stadium tour, making fans feel like their concert experiences were unique and personal. Ad campaigns have the same effect when media planners tailor strategy to individual customer journeys.

Let’s explore how variations play a pivotal role in captivating ad audiences, and driving sales. Are you ready for it? 

The Magic of Variations in Media Buying

Variety is a crucial part of consumer-focused advertising. By embracing ad variations and omnichannel media strategy, advertisers create a captivating story that resonates with different audience segments. In other words, customization drives conversions.

Taylor Swift is a global pop phenomenon (that goes without saying), but she’s also an expert in branding. Beyond her musical prowess, her success has a lot to do with customizing fans’ experiences and ability to choose formats or variations that resonate with them most. The Midnights album’s colorful vinyl variations made Swift the first mainstream artist to sell more copies of an album on vinyl than CD since the 1980s, with 945,000 copies sold across all of its vinyl variants and editions (including a special “clock” fans could make if they bought four vinyls, with branded display shelves and a clock mechanism). Her strategy for variations and multiple modes of engagement speaks for itself: The Eras Tour movie ticket presales broke AMC records with $26 million in ticket sales revenue in the first 24 hours. 

How can advertisers apply customization, or personalization, to their paid media campaigns?

Segment Your Intended Ad Audiences

Similar to an artist’s fanbase, each member of your audience is unique, with different preferences, desires, and media consumption habits. Media planners assist in developing audience segments based on variations, such as:

• Demographics: e.g. age, gender, location, income level
• Interests: e.g. hobbies, preferences, lifestyles
• Behavior: e.g. purchase history, browsing habits, engagement levels

Media teams dig into audience research, historical campaign information, and data strategy to develop media plans that resonate with each segment. That nuanced understanding of varying customer journeys helps to secure quality leads.

Harness the Power of Personalization in Advertising

Taylor Swift’s music touches the hearts of her fans because it feels authentic and personal. The same applies to advertising. In today’s digital age, customers crave personalized experiences. They want to feel seen, understood, and valued by the brands they interact with. How do media buyers infuse personalization into campaigns?

• Dynamic Content: Display personalized content based on user behavior or preferences.
• Relevant Product Recommendations: Recommend products or services based on previous purchases or browsing history.
• Email Marketing: Craft personalized email campaigns that address the specific needs and interests of subscribers.

Personalized variations create a sense of exclusivity and build strong relationships with your audience, leading to increased loyalty and sales.

Embrace Storytelling in Paid Media Campaigns

Bolstering your brand with compelling messages, or stories, fosters full-funnel success. Think of each Taylor Swift era as a story, with each one supporting stronger brand awareness. When she makes an announcement, like The Eras Tour movie, it gains momentum immediately because of the pre-existing brand connection. Beyond having a library of ads, advertisers can achieve storytelling through an omnichannel paid media strategy.

Media agencies leverage audience, market, and competitive research to guide customers through a touchpoint journey, moving them from awareness to conversion. A sample customer journey could include:

• Awareness Stage: The customer might see a sponsored social media post or a TV commercial that piques their interest.

• Consideration Stage: The customer researches online, perhaps encountering social media ads or those placed programmatically. For example, contextual placements may appear on online reviews websites.

• Conversion Stage: Once the customer has sufficient information, they are ready to purchase via the brand’s website or in-store. A conversion may also include completing a form to learn more depending on the brand’s key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Combining storytelling and customer journey analysis creates impactful paid media campaigns that maximize results.

Ready for Your Next Advertising Era?

Whether you’re featuring a “surprise song” in your next campaign or not, Taylor Swift teaches us that variations are key for connecting with customers and drumming up sales.