April 18, 2024

Walter Jacobson’s Perspective 4-18-24: I’m learning a lot about Taylor Swift’s skill at making herself world-famous

1 minute

I don’t know very much about the songs of Taylor Swift. But I’m learning a lot about her skill at making herself world-famous. My latest lesson is right now, right here in Chicago, a short walk from where I live. It’s in River North on Grand Avenue at Dearborn, a great big mural of a QR code on the outside wall of a great big downtown Chicago building. Since walking by it, I’ve begun some, admittedly less-than-scholarly research, and so now I understand the mural is a typical Taylor Swift message about a new Taylor Swift album soon-to-be-released. The name of the album being The Tortured Poets Department. If you scan the mural, you can watch a 13 second animated YouTube movie plugging the album, because that’s her custom when she’s about to release a new one. I’m thinking good for Taylor Swift and for her now-billion-dollar business.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4648428/Walter_Jacobson_s_Perspective_4-18-24_2024-04-18-035428.64kmono.mp3

Walter Jacobson’s Perspective 2-15-24: Vice President Swift?

Taylor Swift fans gather outside a building where a mural featuring a large QR code was being painted to promote Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on April 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Fans scanned the code, danced and sang along to Taylor Swift music, which was being played at the worksite. The QR code links to a video clip with the message “Error 321” and offers options to pre-order the album on cassette, CD or vinyl. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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