Small businesses across Australia are planning new products and events to coincide with Taylor Swift’s 2024 stadium tour, as cities already graced with the superstar’s presence report millions of dollars in economic benefits.
The Eras Tour will sweep into Sydney and Melbourne for five dates in February next year, marking Swift’s first Australian tour since 2018.
Swift tours have long been a major event, but even by her standards, the Eras Tour is significant: economists believe her two shows in the US city of Cincinnati will have an overall economic impact of US$92 million when accounting for spending across hotels, restaurants, and other local businesses.
Those shows are just two of dozens scheduled since March this year, with overall spending on the Eras Tour defying the forecasted global downturn in consumer spending.
Australian event companies have long thrown Swift-themed club nights unaffiliated with the singer herself, and smaller tie-ins, like paint-and-sip days dedicated to Swift’s work, are growing in popularity.
But some local brands are now considering new ways to capitalise on the Eras Tour, given the immense economic opportunity presented by her incoming stadium shows.
Emily Swift has more reason than most to follow the artist’s career, given the coincidence of their shared surname.
“There is no formal connection that we’re aware of, although my two daughters used to say in primary school is Taylor Swift is their aunty”, Swift told SmartCompany.
But Swift is also the marketing manager for Printhie Wines, which has produced the award-winning Swift line of sparkling wines since 2010.
The Orange-based company is investigating ways to get a bottle into the artist’s hands when she visits Australia, a development Swift says would be the culmination of a long-held dream.
Although the brand has no formal connection to the singer herself, Printhie Wines is also investigating new Sydney events and promotions around the time of the local Eras Tour dates.
“We always do events for our wine club members, but there’s definitely some opportunities there,” she said.
“We’re going to sit down and think about how we can embrace the fact that Taylor Swift is in Australia.”
The company has form among Swift fans, too.
The organisers of a Taylor Swift-themed party in New Orleans tried to import some Swift sparkling wine for the occasion, but the timing ultimately did not pan out.
“But it’s lovely to see that that connection was recognised from the US as well,” the Australian-based Swift said.
“So we’re really looking forward to embracing the fact that yeah, we can have a bit of fun with it.”
While themed events and coincidentally-named products are likely to win over fans during Swift’s Australian tour, Amy Parfett, co-founder of gift-giving platform Gravy, knows attending a real-life concert is the end goal for many local Swifties.
But the cost of childcare expenses for parents, and transport to and from her shows, will only amplify the significant cost of Swift concert tickets.
Unlike traditional gift card platforms, Gravy allows friends and family to pledge their money, time, and effort to help loved ones directly.
The startup is now preparing a “full Swiftie weekend” template, applying the traditional gift registry approach to the live concert experience.
Instead of purchasing separate birthday gifts for a Swift fan, friends and family “could gather funds to get someone a hotel in the city, a merch fund, or a ticket fund,” Parfett said.
“But also, [fans] could ask for things that are going to help you go to that concert, like pet sitting, or babysitting if you’re a Swifty mum, for example.”
The platform offers gift-giving ideas and templates for more traditional events like weddings and holidays, but Parfett said the significance of attending a Swift concert should not be overlooked for her most ardent supporters.
“This is something that a lot of our market is going to be interested in, given that we have like a largely millennial demographic right now,” she said.
“So why not make it a little bit easier, and use it as a way to help people realise that there’s ways of making that sort of Taylor Swift experience more affordable, and more achievable for some people right now?”
The first round of tickets for the Melbourne and Sydney shows will go on sale at 10am on Monday, June 26.
Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
