Fáilte Ireland was hoping to “newsjack” the Taylor Swift concerts by gifting her a hand-made cardigan to reflect the singer’s “fondness” for the country and “grá” for traditional knitting.
Their viral marketing campaign, which reached more than nine million people, ended up costing less than €8,000 and featured in 370 different international publications and online outlets.
A Fáilte Ireland marketing plan explained how Taylor Swift had released six cardigans to reflect each of her ‘Eras’ and these were a “key emblem” of her musical career.
It said: “Capitalising on the viral cardigan unboxing TikTok trend, we will work with a local female designer to create a handmade Irish knit patchwork cardigan to gift Taylor when she plays in the Aviva Stadium in June.
“Fáilte Ireland said the international sensation was known to have a soft spot for Ireland and had mentioned Wicklow in the lyrics of one of her songs.
Five locations with links to Taylor Swift were named: Greystones Beach in Wicklow, Glin Castle in Limerick, Portsalon Beach in Donegal, the Farnham Estate in Cavan, and the Dublin Coastal Trail.
It said these could be used to help create the “cardigan mood board” to commemorate her visits to Ireland.
A design brief said: “We would aim to remain faithful to traditional Irish knit patterns, but [Taylor’s] own design may be useful in inspiring an aesthetic direction.”
It suggested the use of three colours reflecting heather, hillsides, and the Atlantic as well as quirky embroidery like swifts, shamrocks, and sheep.
The cardigan chosen was created by the famed designer Gabrielle Malone with stitching inspired by beekeepers in Donegal, Georgian architecture in Dublin, and Irish fields and walking trails.
Fáilte Ireland also worked with several social media influencers encouraging them to knit a part of the ‘Taylor cardigan’.
A briefing document for them suggested: “Encourage people to visit DiscoverIreland.ie where they can find some inspiration for a Swiftie inspired short break as well as a link for a downloadable pattern.”
A separate design brief for the cardigans said they would need to be completed by June 10 at the latest ahead of her sold-out concerts at the Aviva Stadium later that month.
Non-disclosure terms said: “As part of [the] collaboration, you agree to not post the cardigan design and its subsequent creation process on social media or any other platform.
“The cardigan design must be kept confidential until the launch of the activation. Once the cardigan has been completed, and all press materials have been issued to media, you are then welcome to share [it].”
An activation plan said a similar marketing drive when Harry Styles visited Ireland in 2023 had reached eight million people and that a “similar reach” was predicted for the Taylor Swift campaign.
A breakdown of costs showed the “newsjack” plan, run in partnership with the Teneo agency, came with a bill of just €7,963.
That covered design costs, three hand-made cardigans, and a personalised presentation box and printed note for delivery to the Aviva Stadium.
Asked about the campaign, Fáilte Ireland said they had hoped to capitalise on Taylor Swift’s love for this country and encourage domestic trips here.
Their Head of Marketing Communications Emma Woods said: “We knew that Taylor Swift’s concerts in Dublin this summer would be a huge cultural moment, and we recognised a unique opportunity to connect with her passionate Irish fanbase through this campaign.”
“Taylor’s well documented love for Irish knitwear provided a natural link for us to showcase Ireland’s rich tradition of craftsmanship.”
– reporting Ken Foxe
