This face may look familiar to some readers.
On September 10, 27 minutes after the end of a presidential debate between vice-presidential candidates Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump, pop superstar Taylor Swift delivered the opinion heard around the world.
At the time of publication, the static Instagram post currently has nearly 9.5 million likes.
Swift’s media savvy never ceases to amaze even the most seasoned PR professionals. Many communicators had something to say about the statement and how Swift delivered it. A current query on LinkedIn about the endorsement reveals more than 80 comments from industry peers about what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned from “Mastermind.”
Praise
Most of those who responded applauded Swift and her team for the effort.
Brendan P. Lewis, EVP, Global Communications & Public Affairs, Oatly
“Without blemish. From discussing her own reasoning, to asking fans to find their own answers, to providing a link to sign up, to that disconnect. Simply perfect. And the clear coordination with the campaign (now offering friendship bracelets) is a big plus.”
Ellie Glason, Freelance PR Director
“View across the pond: I think it was perfect. She was emotionless, explained that she did the research and that [the debate] was behind her decision. The timing was perfect too – she sprinkled magic dust on Harris after her debate triumph.
Craig Pratt, Senior Manager, Public Relations and Corporate Communications, MillerKnoll
“I’m no Swiftie, but even I was blown away by the timing, specific message and relevance! Some might argue that it would have been more effective to release the endorsement today (September 11) rather than last night — but aside from Election Day, this debate was perhaps the time when this election mattered most to most Americans , and she struck while the iron was hot. This is how you influence your audience. I may very well be streaming some T. Swift songs today. Key takeaways: Do not breed with childless cats.”
Jeanene O’Brien, Fractional CMO/CCO, Jack Mae Consulting
“Given the tightrope he walks, this was the near-perfect combination of timing, tone and message. Given that she (and her car) are fully aware that her fan base is diverse – her mix of stating her position while encouraging Swifties to gather information and make up their OWN mind was pretty brilliant. Regardless of the political sides, she stuck the landing.”
Timing
Our seasoned audience had some mixed reviews on the timing of Swift’s post.
Hinda Mitchell, President and Founder, Inspire PR Group
“Relative. Authentic. Strategic. It was thoughtful, perfectly timed communication that presented her not only as the superstar that she is, but also as a relevant voice on business, politics and social issues. The inclusion of voter registration and the deliberate failure to urge his followers to vote in a specific way lends credibility beyond rhetoric.”
Parry Headrick, Founder at Crackle PR
“I wish it would have waited until tomorrow (9/12) (because today is 9/11, so that rightfully owns the news cycle along with the debate recap). It would have been an even more impactful thunder, in my opinion.”
Anne Marie Squeo, CEO and Founder, Proof Point Communications
“Given that we were focused on the debate and Harris’ success there, I would have advised her to release what was a perfect statement, especially the signature line, tomorrow (9/12) to generate further coverage in place to be part of the story of the debate.”
Halley Knigge, Head of Communications, Community and Inclusion, REI
“When is the best time to get maximum coverage and maintain momentum? I might have waited a few days because the debate is already generating tons of coverage and then I threw in an endorsement for a new news cycle. BUT I can also see benefits in the timing he opted for – a bit of a turnaround after a very tough debate for the candidate he doesn’t support.”
Paolo Ramos, Account Director, SourceCode Communications
“They might have advised him to wait until later in the night to let Harris have a (rightful) victory lap in the press. I feel like her endorsement coming right after the debate and interrupting the post-debate interview for vice presidential candidate Tim Walz took some of the wind out of the Harris campaign.”
Ben Fitchett, Senior Account Executive, Sling & Stone
“Great time as always. As a PR professional, I can’t help but think it was doubled as a clean-up tactic for the widespread negative press he’s getting after hugging Brittany Mahomes during US Open. I think it was always ongoing, but maybe the timing was considered to be beneficial.”
Tone
Although an endorsement, Swift’s statement also included statements of neutrality to acknowledge the diversity of her fans.
Andrew Moyer, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Reputation Partners
“…he offered unequivocal support but made it clear that it was a personal decision and everyone should do their own thing to educate themselves and participate in the electoral process. It’s a fine line to walk and the statement did it as well as any impact endorsement I’ve seen.”
Rich Gallagher, Deputy Director, Brands2Life USA
“We are in a new era of celebrity endorsement, where any public figure must carefully weigh the value of their platform, the authenticity of their voice and commitment to a cause, and the potential loss from fans alienated from a particular position. The language around “do your own research and make your own decisions” will help with the inevitable backlash. Michael Jordan chose to remain apolitical because “Republicans also buy sneakers,” but Swift doesn’t have that luxury in 2024. She the image has already been used to “approve” the other party through AIand she needs to set the record straight.”
Codie Henry, MDR, Communications and Policy Specialist, Pennsylvania Coalition to Promote Respect
“She made her point and perspective while holding the door open for others to make up their own minds. While people will probably follow her lead, the part of her audience that won’t feel as alienated by her leaving them a seat at her table.”
Content
Swift made brief but effective points about the dangers of deep AI fakes and encouraging voter education.
Melissa Vela-Williamson, Founder, MVW Communications
“Swift and her team handled this intentionally and strategically. They had a photo and relevant copy ready to throw in and waited until after the debate when they were sure that 1. Kamala had debated well and 2. The topic was timely and ignited the social streams. I appreciate that she called out the inappropriate use of AI with her likeness and how the truth must be shared to combat disinformation.”
Sara Joseph Noyes, Executive Vice President, Head of Travel & Lifestyle, BerlinRosen
“A perfect 10 for sure. I was glad that it encouraged young voters to make sure they do their research and form their own opinions independently before going to the polls.”
Michelle Bonner, Vice President, Public Relations, Adams & Knight, Inc.
“I thought Swift really demonstrated a master class in authenticity and strategic communication with her endorsement. By directly addressing AI-generated disinformation, she took control of the narrative, reinforcing the importance of transparency in the age of digital manipulation. Her personal touch of signing off as “Childless Cat Lady” not only showed her awareness of political discourse, but also underscored her unique ability to blend humor with serious messages. Most notably, her call for civic engagement—encouraging her audience to research and vote—was both responsible and accountable.
No one is perfect… Some notes from the audience
Lauren Parker, President and CEO, Slide Nine
“My only piece of feedback (Call It What You Want) would be the photo selection. I would have liked to see her at home, sweating on the couch with her cats instead of a glamorous production shot.”
Dustin Siggins, Founder, Proven Media Solutions
“He should have stayed away from it. Business and personal brands that attach themselves to politics often find themselves pulling back, clarifying or otherwise diluting their initial involvement. (See the 2021 electoral reform chaos in Delta as a prime example.)”
Amanda Jacobsmeyer, director of media strategy at Inkhouse
“As a mega fan, I was a bit disappointed by the “do your own research and all decisions are great” (although of course I think everyone does their own reading and thinking about choices is important) toothless when he spoke so strongly against bigotry and Trump and others in the past. On a personal level, she felt like she was hedging her bets and avoiding offending her conservative-leaning celebrity friends. My PR brain thinks it may be a deliberate collaboration with the Harris campaign to set a more optimistic, forward-looking, reasonable tone focused on voting *for* someone rather than focusing on making the case for voting *against * someone. Overall, I think the statement was made for undecided Swifties rather than appeasing blue fans, which is encouraging to see the strategy focus more on the impact of the election result than just the perception of its brand. It’s hard not to take the slightly cynical view of when she came down the path of suspicion about what her friendship with Brittany Mahomes infers about her own politics, but I see the wisdom in the timing of the debate. Probably just a case of unfortunate timing.”
In conclusion
That Alyson Buck, Senior Director, Head of Strategic PR at Samsung Electronics America said: “Tree Paine, we are not worthy.”
Nicole Schumann is the Managing Editor at PRNEWS.
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