CBS News has dubbed Taylor Swift as “the greatest ad for the Super Bowl in NFL history”
We’re used to people talking about the best ads shown during the Super Bowl. But the conversations this year are around the “ad” that is Taylor Swift’s relationship with the Kansas City Chief’s tight end, Travis Kelce.
Ever since she began dating Kelce, Swift’s fans have become NFL viewers. Many are hosting watch parties.
“There are an awful lot of people out there who are more likely to watch the Super Bowl now because the Chiefs are in it and Taylor Swift may be there,” LendingTree analyst Matt Schulz told CBS MoneyWatch. Three-quarters of all Americans say they plan to watch the Super Bowl this year.
However, it is not just viewing figures that are benefiting as the fans are spending on game tickets, jerseys, memorabilia, and streaming subscriptions.
A staggering 16% of U.S. consumers said Swift had influenced them to spend money on football, the online lending marketplace found in a recent survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers. The figures are even higher for Gen-Zers (24%) and Millennials (20%).
The streaming services are delighted. When the Chiefs faced off against the Miami Dolphins in a playoff game earlier this month, the game was broadcast exclusively on NBS Universal-owned streaming service Peacock, which costs $6 a month. While it isn’t all down to Taylor Swift Peacock acquired nearly 3 million new subscribers the weekend of the game, according to analytics service Antenna.
The Swift Effect
It’s not just football that has benefitted from the Swift Effect. The signer’s record-setting “Eras Tour” concert series has boosted local economies right across the U.S. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia in July announced that her tour led to a noticeable uptick in travel and tourism to the region. And Cincinnati hotels grossed $2.6 million the weekend she performed there, according to the local CBS affiliate.
Should we be surprised – probably not as the old adage goes “Celebrity Sells”