The Taylor Swift + Travis Kelce guide to healthcare marketing mastery

By Emily Boland

For those without a football fan, a music lover, or an Internet connection in their life — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (better known as TNT) are engaged. While they’ve both mastered the skills needed to earn top spots in their industries — a fistful of Super Bowl rings and a record-breaking number of Grammy Awards — what they’ve done “off the clock” to market their brands is even more impressive.   

Here are six ways healthcare and biotech companies can borrow a page from TNT’s playbook (or music sheet) and rise to the top of the industry: 

• Strategic timing + teasing.   Nothing builds anticipation like a countdown. And while Swifties may find themselves counting down the hours and days until her next album drop, biotech companies often count the months and years until a product is ready to launch. 

Use that time wisely by investing in pre-launch activities like stakeholder interviews and education, messaging development and refinement, and developing cross-functional governance structures.  Demonstrate your understanding of your audience, create targeted lists, and develop thoughtful advertising, social media, and PR campaigns designed to build awareness and credibility both before and after launch. Building a deliberate roll-out plan can seed early interest.  

• Thoughtful storytelling + personalization. Taylor Swift has long been the leader in blending narrative, imagery, and playful, relatable language designed for her audience. Whether an announcement or newly released lyrics, her personal approach to communications is why her fans feel connected and remain devoted. While healthcare may be a higher-stakes game than heartbreak, its impacts are just as personal.

Healthcare and biotech marketers can channel their inner Swiftie by amplifying authentic customer and patient experiences with creative storytelling that builds emotional connections and makes patients feel seen and customers feel valued. Segment lists based on roles, geographies, or areas of interest, develop audience-tailored messaging, and leverage it across personalized email and digital marketing campaigns to create a sense of genuine relevance and foster trust and engagement.

• Community building + engagement. Consistent engagement with their respective and joint audiences has turned TNT fans into a dedicated and active community. Whether sitting side by side at a college football game, building community through quiet giving, or surprise encounters with fans, their continued involvement has earned trust that spans generations. Healthcare and biotech companies can mirror this success by nurturing customer and patient communities. 

Some of our clients host regular meetings to collect feedback from development teams, and others have established advisory councils to ensure products are meeting patient and provider expectations. And you’re likely familiar with Epic’s annual Users Group Meeting — a strategic milestone to showcase new software features.

There are all great examples of how intentional, ongoing community engagement and co-creation can foster deep loyalty, trust, and advocacy — turning customers and patients from passive recipients into empowered, valued partners across the healthcare journey.

• The power of surprise + exclusivity. Another album cover just dropped. Travis makes a guest appearance onstage at the Era’s tour. They jointly release a statement announcing their engagement directly to their online followers.  Surprise announcements, early releases, and exclusive content keep people excited and invested. 

When thoughtfully planned and professionally executed, unexpected product enhancements, early access offers, and behind-the-scenes stories create memorable moments and foster meaningful engagement with customers.

• Partnerships + cross-industry influence. Through their relationship, TNT has amassed an audience far greater than the traditional reach of an NFL tight end and a country music singer turned pop star. 

Health and biotech companies can do the same by collaborating with organizations outside their traditional domains, including hospitals and health systems, academic medical associations, research organizations, health plans, technology companies, and more. Doing so provides an opportunity to expand their audiences and build credibility. Combining complementary expertise and resources across industries not only enables innovative breakthroughs but also provides an expanded reach, facilitating broader market access necessary for long-term success.

• Social media mastery. Within hours of confirming he put a ring on it, TNT’s post broke an Instagram record with over 30 million likes and one million reposts. And the dress Taylor was wearing in the photo with Travis on bended knee? It sold out in minutes. The lesson? Authentic messaging and strategic visuals are a dynamic duo for fueling social media conversation and engagement.

For healthcare, this means strategically selecting platforms and planning announcements alongside visuals and messaging that encourage dialogue, promote sharing, and build a positive buzz. 

TNT’s ability to combine timing, authenticity, community, and strategic execution is unparalleled. Healthcare marketers seeking to make a lasting impact can adopt these strategies to transform good campaigns into unforgettable experiences that truly resonate across eras.