Taylor Swift + Apple Music = Smart Branding -

Earlier in April, Apple released an ad which showed Taylor Swift fall flat on her face. On a treadmill. While listening to Drake and Future’s “Jumpman” on a workout related playlist from Apple Music. The singer then proceeded to rap when she was still on the floor. And if the grimace on her face is any indication, she was also in a great deal of pain. Here is the ad.

As you can see, it starts off well enough.

Let’s see that faceplant again.

Image Source: Taylor vs. Treadmill Ad

Ouch!

The ad ends with the tagline “Distractingly Good.” Basically, the premise is that any song that is heard on Apple’s playlist is so good that it can cause even the best of us to lose ourselves in it. The spot became a viral hit and garnered over 11 million shares in just four days.

This ad was made live back on April 1st and is one of three similar ads that promote Apple’s streaming services “Apple Music.” In one of her latest ads she also prepares to go out with Jimmy Eat World and dances like crazy with a tune by Out to the Darkness.

Apple’s design journey has always been an inspiration for brand experts. It is easy to see why. The brand is known for its creative ads and for using people that make consumers take notice. Its recent ad campaign featuring Taylor Swift promoting “Apple Music”, is a case in point.

However, it should be noted that this service wasn’t winning any popularity contests when it was launched ten months ago. It was even heavily criticized by industry professionals like Bob Lefsetz who explicitly expressed how much he hated the service during the three month trial period. Other users seemed to agree. After the trial period ended, Apple Music only managed to hit 6.5 million paid users.

After Taylor Swift’s ad promoting the service launched, “Apple Music” now has 13 million paying subscribers which is up from 11 million in February this year.

Considering that Taylor Swift criticized Apple once, why would the brand choose her in its campaigns at all? Simply because she is Taylor Swift, a singer who has a massive following on social media and is famous for writing lyrics that a lot of people can relate to.

In a previous post, we discussed how Cocoa Cola’s one brand strategy is an attempt by the brand to refresh its image. In this post, we will discuss how Apple uses Taylor Swift to refresh its own image and promote its live streaming service.

Distractingly Good

We already discussed Taylor’s Swift’s famous faceplant on Apple’s first ad for its streaming service. A few days after it aired, iTune sales for Drake’s ‘Jumpman” shot up 431 percent. That’s a staggering number but it isn’t surprising considering that the decision to feature Swift was to tap into her massive following on social media.

Apple’s Head of Content, Larry Jackson explains the choice –

“To really get an idea that was simple, informative and funny with hooks is really like writing a song. With an artist that’s got 73 million followers on Instagram, that’s bigger than NBC, CBS and Fox and the viewership of primetime combined.”

I don’t dislike Taylor Swift or anything but watching her faceplant on a treadmill is super satisfying.

— Jennie Booxla (@Baxenwald) May 4, 2016

Distracting good. Apple music? Maybe. Taylor Swift faceplant? Definitely. #mkt380csula #blogworthy https://t.co/mJHCH44YiS

— Michael Germano (@profmgermano) April 11, 2016

Taylor Swift’s Faceplant Caused Drake’s Itunes Sales To … : https://t.co/AwAEl3xEpy …. pic.twitter.com/Zu6yElhSmt

— Henry Clark (@henryclark624) April 6, 2016

Dance Like No One’s Watching

Apple’s latest ad has a tagline “Dance like No one’s Watching” and was launched on May 12. In the ad, we hear Taylor saying “I love a quiet night at home” after which she plays “I Believe in a Thing called love” by The Darkness. The singer then proceeds to dance, like the tagline suggests; like no one is watching.

Apple’s intention is to use Taylor’s image to sell its “For You” playlist recommendations. And it does this by using a singer who is insanely popular for writing lyrics that everyone can relate to. Here is what Business Insider editor Paul Schordt, has to say about it –

“Taylor Swift is unmatched in her ability to make audiences feel like she is just like them, and this clip will remind many of a Friday night blasting the speakers at home in solitude (if your home looked really expensive). There’s no doubt that’s what Apple is going for in its race to become the dominant music streaming service.”

But when I dance like no one’s watching I look nowhere near as chic and hilarious as Taylor Swift.

— Alex Goldschmidt (@alexandergold) May 12, 2016

This song is THE JAM. 💃🏼💃🏼 RT @taylorswift13: Dance like no one’s watching @AppleMusic @thedarknesshttps://t.co/FXGBabieQP

— Emily Russell (@EmRuss11) May 12, 2016

#Protip “Only dance like no one’s watching, really when no one is watching, especially if Taylor Swift asks you in her video”
You’re welcome

— Iron Man (@Fandango_Cheese) December 28, 2015

Every Song For Every Moment

Apple also used the Taylor Swift effect in a similar on April 18th. The tagline this time is “Every Song for Every Moment.” In it, the singer is singing “The Middle” by “Jimmy Eat World” and dancing as she gets ready for a night out on the town. She also says that she “used to listen to this in middle school.”

Apple reports that the tune has enjoyed a whopping 1,500 percent lift since Apple featured Taylor Swift dancing to it in the ad. Emilee Lindner says that the spike in popularity surprising considering that “The Middle” came out way back in 2001 –

“The Taylor Swift Effect is real! A few days after Ms. Swift lip synced Jimmy Eat World’s 2001 hit ‘The Middle’ in a new spot for the Apple Music campaign, the song has creeped into iTunes Top Songs Chart. The little ditty currently sits at No. 32 on the chart. Not bad for a song that came out 15 years ago.”

Apple Music has experienced its fair share of criticism over the years. Featuring Taylor Swift in its ads is a smart move on Apple’s since it was successful in making “Apple Music” more popular than it had ever been.