If you’ve been anywhere near the internet lately, you know Taylor Swift isn’t just running the music industry; she’s running the culture. People wait hours in line, trade friendship bracelets, and crash NFL ratings just to be part of the story.
Meanwhile, in school communications? We’re fighting to get a flyer proofread before it goes out with three different fonts. We’re fielding “quick” design requests at 7:32 a.m. We’re watching carefully planned posts flop while a blurry pep rally photo racks up 400 likes.
It’s a different world, but maybe there are lessons worth borrowing.
consistency is everything
Taylor’s “eras” aren’t accidents. Every color, font, and outfit is part of a bigger story. Schools need the same. When one person follows the brand guide and ten others don’t, you end up with five logos floating around (including the clipart mascot from 1998).
tell the story, not just the information
A Swiftie doesn’t just attend a concert. They
live an era. In schools, it’s not enough to post a calendar date; families want the “why.” Share how the event connects to student pride, tradition, or success.
control the narrative (or facebook will)
Taylor leaves a breadcrumb trail of Easter eggs, but make no mistake... she controls the story. Schools that hand over brand decisions to a Facebook poll? Chaos. And yes, the community will always pick the student-drawn eagle wearing sunglasses. Input matters, but you can’t crowdsource your identity.
plan for structure, leave room for magic
When Taylor changes a setlist or drops a surprise song, fans lose their minds. In schools, the equivalent is that one candid photo that blows up your social feed while your carefully crafted post gets 12 likes. Build the system but embrace the surprises.
belonging is the end game
Swifties wear the shirts, trade the bracelets, and scream every lyric. They
belong. Isn’t that exactly what schools want? Spirit wear, storytelling, and consistent communication all lead to the same outcome: helping people see themselves in the story.
make the story visible
Taylor has friendship bracelets and color-coded outfits. Schools have something even more powerful: their profile of a learner and the dashboards that bring it to life.
When a district shares those visuals clearly and consistently, families start to see themselves in the story. The profile of a learner shows what the community values. Dashboards show the progress toward those goals in real time. Together, they turn abstract ideas into something concrete and shareable (the same way Taylor turns lyrics into eras and symbols).
Taylor Swift doesn’t win by accident. She’s intentional, consistent, and relentlessly focused on her audience. School communicators don’t need a pop star budget, but they can take a page from the same playbook: tell a story worth belonging to, make it visible through tools like the profile of a learner and dashboards, and give people a reason to show up again and again.
ready to make your communications shimmer?
ready to create your own era? let’s talk about how alchemy can help your school tell a story worth belonging to.
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