Why 'The Life of a Showgirl' is a Showcase of Bad Marketing

Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl" (TS12), this past Friday, October 3, 2025, much to the disappointment of many of her fans. The polarizing effect of this album speaks to the missteps in marketing and branding Taylor and her team took in promoting it.

Marketing: Expectations vs. Reality

The Life of a Showgirl was marketed as a fun, upbeat, fully-pop album and a look behind-the-scenes at what life was like for her as a showgirl during her Eras tour. It was branded as an homage to old Hollywood and the golden age of Broadway, with vintage glamour, flamboyant costumes, and dramatic photos. The sequins and Portofino Orange Glitter evoked what Taylor calls her "glitter gel pen songs," songs that are "frivolous, carefree, bouncy, and syncopated perfectly to the beat." Promotional videos and social media posts featured Taylor directing herself in over-the-top shoots and working herself to the bone to put on a great show. The album's marketing capitalized on her recent magnum opus Eras tour, and fans were eager to hear more about Taylor's experiences with fame and what life was like for her while she was on tour.

Over the years, Taylor has written songs about her views on fame and fortune. Songs like "We Were Happy," "Peace," and "Midnight Rain" are introspections on things she's sacrificed in the name of fame. "Castles Crumbling," "Nothing New," "mirrorball," and "Anti-Hero" all touch on her insecurities surrounding the fickleness of fame. "Long Live" and "Starlight" show the brighter sides of fame. And songs like "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" and "You're on Your Own, Kid" shed a light on the realities of chasing fame. She's also compared her own experiences with those of other famous women in songs like "The Lucky One," "the last great american dynasty," "marjorie," and "Clara Bow."

In short, Taylor had a great portfolio of work to show she could deliver on what she was promising with this new album, but in practice, she fell short. Other than with the title track, "The Life of a Showgirl" does very little to give listeners even a glimpse into what Taylor's life is like as a showgirl, she doesn't explore the lives of other showgirls, and the music production itself is very mid-tempo and devoid of the theatrics one would expect from the way it was marketed.

But the disappointment goes beyond the branding of the album. Taylor Swift has spent her entire career branding herself as a master storyteller. By her own account, she excelled in her English classes in school. She got her start in the music industry by learning from country music stars and songwriters in a genre well-known for embodying the troubadour spirit of musical storytelling. In her recent engagement announcement, she likened herself to an English teacher, a nod to the literary themes and extensive vocabulary she infuses into her songwriting.

TS12 contained none of the literary prowess and masterful storytelling Taylor has built her brand on. The lyricism is juvenile and lazy. Many fans have pointed out that she deliberately uses the non-word "legitly" instead of "legitimately" in one of the songs. The themes and metaphors in songs like "Elizabeth Taylor" and "Eldest Daughter" could've been explored and fleshed out more. It's apparent to many that this album was rushed.

Out-of-Touch Marketing Practices

The marketing for any product doesn't end once the product has been released. One has to keep the product top-of-mind for consumers, validate the choice of those who bought the product, and encourage the late majority and laggers to purchase the product. What Taylor Swift's marketing team fails to do lately is appreciate early adopters and early majority consumers. With this album specifically, after promising that this was going to be "the perfect album" and no other songs would be released, she and her team released new variants of the album with new versions of the songs and behind-the-scenes specials almost immediately after the release of the album. This strategy punishes those who pre-order the original version with no way of knowing other variants were coming later on. Her album variants have been leaving a sour taste in consumers' mouths for years, due to economic and ecological concerns, and now this is solidifying mistrust in her brand. Many are seeing this and the entire album as a blatant cash grab. Celebrities are influencers, and consumers are becoming more wary of influencers capitalizing on their loyalty to sell them products they don't need. Taylor Swift's encouraging fans to buy multiple versions of the same product falls under this category and shows a lack of awareness.

Over the weekend, Taylor surprised her audience with a Google scavenger hunt that involved orange doors being projected onto buildings in twelve major cities around the world. Each door had a QR code that lead to a video with a secret word. Once the entire message had been revealed, Googling that phrase lead to a lyric video for one of her new songs. While this was a great use of immersive guerilla marketing, fans were left disappointed with the end result, and angry that the videos were clearly made by AI. This, again, shows a sense of being out-of-touch.

What Marketing Specialists Can Learn from TS12

1. Don't put out a product that's unfinished.

   As Taylor Swift states in "Elizabeth Taylor," "you're only as hot as your last hit." Every product you put out is a representation of your company, especially your most recent product. Before you start promoting it, make sure it's complete and as perfect as it can be because if it's not, your audience will take notice, and it will affect your brand's reputation.

2. Have a strong understanding of your product before you market it.

   Make sure you understand your product, what it does, what problem it solves, your target audience, and what they want/need, before your start marketing your product. Does your product have a specific brand persona? How does it relate back to your company's brand persona? Your entire brand kit should match what you're putting out, and your messaging should be cohesive, from the visuals to the copy to the actual product.

3. Listen to your audience.

   Do the market research to learn what your target audience is looking for. See what marketing techniques are working and not working for other businesses, as well as your own. In which directions are your audiences' thoughts, feelings, and actions trending? Is there a disconnect between your audience and your message, and what can you do to fix it? While it's tempting to put out a product just for the sake of it, you'll find more success by connecting with your target audience.