The trend: Starbucks and Target tapped into the buzz around the release of Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” to help fuel their turnaround.

• Starbucks gave away 113,000 free drinks as cafés worldwide played the new album, along with Swift-themed playlists, on release day. The company also transformed a Nashville store into a “Life of the Showgirl”-themed pop-up, complete with record store and friendship bracelets.
• Target hosted midnight releases at 500 stores. It is the exclusive retailer for select merchandise including a limited-edition vinyl version of the album.

A familiar play: This isn’t the first time either company has used the power of Taylor Swift to boost sales.

• Target offered two exclusive products—“Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Book” and “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology” on CD and vinyl—last Black Friday, which helped drive traffic and sales at a crucial time.
• Starbucks partnered with Swift in 2021 as part of the release of “Red (Taylor’s Version),” offering customers the opportunity to order “Taylor’s Latte,” the singer’s favorite drink.

Our take: The stakes are high for both companies as they struggle to get customers excited about their offerings. In that sense, capitalizing on the “Taylor Swift effect” is a no-brainer: The Eras Tour generated $2 billion in US retail sales alone in 2023–2024, per Nomura Securities, a clear sign of Swift’s cultural influence.

At the same time, the question for both Starbucks and Target is whether they can turn the short-term bump into lasting growth.

• Target so far has been unable to do so, although that could change if the retailer is able to improve the quality of its assortment.
• For Starbucks, the benefits could similarly prove elusive. While the coffee company is clearly hoping that free drinks and Swift playlists will rekindle customers’ affection for the brand, it remains hampered by high prices and lackluster menu innovation—both major hindrances to recovery.

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