How I Use Taylor Swift Songs to Understand Business Strategy By Roshan R Sivakumar

In business school, we are always taught models, case studies, and some big theories. Everything is structured, with rules and frameworks.

But honestly, some of my best lessons didn’t come from textbooks. They came from Taylor Swift.

Yes, you heard that right. I’m a Swiftie. And her albums? They are pure strategy if you really listen closely.

Let me tell you how three of her albums helped me understand how branding, emotions, and smart risks work in real life. The albums are Reputation, Evermore, and The Tortured Poets Department.

Reputation : How to bounce back when the world turns on you

Back in 2016, the world was calling Taylor fake. She got so much hate. People cancelled her, memes were everywhere. But she didn’t react. She just disappeared for a while.

Then boom. Reputation dropped.

She didn’t explain herself. She didn’t beg for understanding. She came back powerful. New look, new sound, new energy.

That is pure public relations genius.

It showed me that when people doubt you or drag your name down, you don’t always have to fight back. Sometimes, silence and reinvention work better than words.

Even brands like Nike have done this. When they faced backlash for bold decisions, they stood firm and waited. In the long run, they won loyalty.

Evermore : How to build emotional connection

Evermore is soft. Calm. Almost like a whisper.

No huge bangers. No attention-seeking. Just honest stories, gentle music, and deep emotion.

This taught me something special. Not every brand has to shout. Some brands win hearts quietly. With real emotion.

Just like Dove talks about real beauty. Or how Apple connects through simplicity and design.

Evermore reminded me that emotions create long term bonds. Not noise. Not hype. Just feelings.

The Tortured Poets Department — How to take bold creative risks

TTPD is long. Very long. It’s messy, poetic, and full of pain. Not everyone liked it.

But she didn’t make it for everyone. She made it for herself. And the ones who connect with it? They connect deeply.

Sometimes in business, you have to break your own rules. You can’t keep doing the same safe thing over and over.

That is how you grow.

Big companies like Netflix and Patagonia have taken bold risks. They have changed their models, taken stands, even lost customers on purpose. But they stayed true to what they believe.

TTPD reminded me that vulnerability is also power. When you share your truth, even if it’s risky, people notice.

What I learnt from Taylor

I am doing my MBA in Lean Operations. I am about to begin my MS in Decision Analytics. I learn about process, efficiency, data and logic.

But Taylor teaches me something just as important.

She teaches me about story, connection, trust, identity.

Her music shows that strategy is not just about business. It is about people.

So next time someone asks me what helped me understand branding and strategy, I will just smile and say,

“Honestly, it was Taylor Swift.”