Last week, a video went viral of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace playing Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”. A mash-up we never thought we'd see! An excellent blend of tradition and modernity, showcasing the British military and monarchy embracing contemporary culture. It is safe to say, they shook it off in style.
Why did they do this?
The performance marked the arrival of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to Wembley. For those not familiar with the cultural phenomenon of the Eras Tour, in the first eight months of the 2-year tour she grossed a record breaking $1 billion (across 152 shows). With nine months left it is estimated it will pass the $2 billion mark1. Not only is the tour lucrative for Taylor and her team, but it has also been proven to significantly boost the local economy of wherever she travels. Now referred to as “Swiftonomics”.
The final UK shows of the Eras Tour are expected to boost London’s economy by £300m. The Greater London Authority estimated fans will spend on average £471 per show with many people travelling from across the UK and the Globe. Barclays’ study predicted that fans would fork out a total of almost £1bn across her 15 UK shows. The halo effect on the local economies of the Eras Tour is significant2.
The Guards' performance was a nod to this phenomenon, celebrating Swift’s contribution to the UK's financial and cultural landscape. By turning a centuries-old ceremony into a pop culture phenomenon, the Palace and the British Army demonstrated a clever use of soft power, engaging younger and international audiences, as well as proving they’re always "ready for it."
But what about the impact of this piece of communications activity for Buckingham Palace and the British Army?
Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy
Soft power is the ability to attract and influence through culture and values. We often talk to our clients about the 80/20 split for content strategy. 80% soft, 20% hard content. Hook your audience in with the soft, then hit them with the hard content every now and then to get your point across. This is an excellent example of soft power and ‘soft content’.
It also highlighted the UK’s openness to global influences and showcased our adaptability and cultural richness as a nation. Domestic and international press carried the video, with it being syndicated across the world for everyone to see. The video went viral across social media platforms, with members of Taylor Swift’s team sharing the videos too. They’re not out of the woods yet when it comes to staying relevant, but this was a step in the right direction.
This was swiftly followed up by the now iconic picture of the selfie Taylor took with Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. Again, thrusting the Royal Family into the cultural limelight and showing them as just another fun family on a night out. Taylor also shared the selfie, and the two pictures have had almost 13m likes on Instagram and have been shared internationally across social media and news outlets.
Engaging Younger and Diverse Audiences
By playing "Shake It Off," the British Army and the Palace effectively connected with a younger, global audience. Taylor Swift's massive fanbase, particularly among younger demographics, found joy in seeing their favourite song played in such an iconic setting. The organic reach of the posts was significant. It was a strategic move to stay relevant and engaging in a rapidly evolving cultural scene. The military often talk about what a struggle it is to get through to young people. But by filming a 3-minute song and putting it out there at the right time, they managed to reach more of their target audience than by most other planned PR activities. It shows that sometimes the risk is worth the reward.
In conclusion, the Changing of the Guard's rendition of "Shake It Off" was more than just an entertaining performance. It was a masterful display of soft power, economic influence, and cultural diplomacy. It showed the world that the UK knows All Too Well how to mix its rich traditions with contemporary trends, creating moments that resonate globally. It was a clear message that while the ‘haters going to hate’, the UK is ready to Shake It Off and embrace the new era with open arms.