How popular culture can drive behaviour change
How Taylor Swift encouraging her followers to vote led to 35,000 new voter registrations in one day.
In the lead-up to National Voter Registration Day, Taylor Swift took to her platform to encourage her fans to vote, which saw an impressive achievement of driving 35,000 new voter registrations in just one day. This serves as a potent reminder of the capacity of influential figures within the realm of popular culture to act as catalysts for action and behaviour change.
Looking at potential behaviour factors, Taylor Swift’s nonpartisan message brought people together from all backgrounds, emphasising the importance of civic engagement beyond political divides. The surge in registrations among 18-year-olds also highlights the potential of young voters when motivated by people they trust. Moreover, her message on National Voter Registration Day underscored the importance of timing when addressing a call to action.
Popular culture is a powerful – yet still untapped – way to drive behavioral change by meeting people where they already are. This post is a part of a series where we highlight current examples of ways that popular culture is driving action around the globe.
Taylor Swift’s positive impact shows us the power popular culture can have in driving behaviour change and action.