Better than revenge: Why Taylor Swift's statement on Trump AI-generated photos hits the PR mark

Instead of drawing a cat eye sharp enough to kill a man, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has put out a statement on Instagram putting claims of her being a Donald Trump supporter to rest. 

In her statement, Swift said she was recently made aware that AI generated photos of "her" falsely endorsing Trump's presidential run was posted to his site. 

"It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth," said Swift. 

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Swift later proceeded to say that she will cast her vote to Kamala Harris and Tim Waltz in the 2024 Presidential Election. After listing her reasons for her vote, Swift urged her fans to do their research. "I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make," added Swift. 

The statement comes as Trump posted on his Truth Social account that he accepts Swift's non-existent endorsement in August. Attached to his post accepting Swift's false endorsement was a carousel of images featuring AI-generated of Swift. 

One of the AI-manipulated photos depicted Swift as well-known character Uncle Sam with the text "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump". Another photo showed fans wearing "Swifties for Trump" t-shirts. 

PR professionals MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to lauded Swift’s statement and added that she is an astute communicator who really understands her audience. Jonathan Tan, founder of VoxEureka said her statement comes across humble and she brings herself down from celebrity status to that of an American citizen. This framing or context setting draws her fans in and sets a collaborative tone. To instil credibility, she emphasises that she has done prior research, focusing on policies rather than personalities. This establishes that her response isn’t impulsive or reactionary but thoughtful and informed.

“This enables her to present her position while maintaining a sense of fairness. By doing so, it is clear that her intention was to address this serious issue of misinformation and not to use her fame to push a personal, political agenda,” he said. Tan added that while Swift could have added more data points, her clarity and specificity of her choice of candidate is definitive, leaving no room for ambiguity.

“Her decision to limit the comments section also shows calculated prudence. In the high-stakes world of social media, controlling the conversation, especially around such a sensitive topic, is often a wise move to avoid further misinformation or negativity,” he said.

Lars Voedisch, group CEO of PRecious Communications said Swift had the ingredients to a good statement: 

1) Trigger and relevance - She explained that she felt that she had to comment on this issue now to fight misinformation; 
2) Honest Intent - She intends to get people to do the homework by informing themselves about the issues that matter to them - without her imposing her views or values on them; 
3) Relevant personal link - Swift explains what are the topics important to her; 
4) Call to action - inform yourself, register as a voter, vote early.

Voedisch added:

By providing this comprehensive context, she left no room for speculation and manages expectations.

What to do in a misinformation crisis

In any crisis, transparency and communication is paramount. “It is also important that statements are accurate and timely.  Swift's statement is an example of transparently communicating her decision to prevent misinformation from snowballing and creating even bigger misconceptions,” said Julie Chiang, director and co-founder of APRW.

Her use of the platform to right the wrong shouldn’t come as a surprise, Chiang added as Swift often uses her platform to express her opinions and beliefs. “In her recent response to a fake video showing her support for Donald Trump, she did not fail to disappoint. Aside from sharing her opinions and beliefs, she explained her actions as a voter. She used her influential voice to educate and remind Americans of their civic duty to participate responsibly in democracy,” Chiang said.

AI’s sophistication is growing, blurring the lines between real and fabricated content, Tan added. To make it easier for audiences to distinguish between real and fake content, brands need to practice consistent voicing and using clear, specific language.

To effectively clear misinformation, Tan highlighted several factors.

Speed: The quicker you address false information, the better. Delayed responses can leave room for rumours to spread and distort, especially in the digital world.

Transparency and authenticity: It is imperative for brands and personalities to be overt and vulnerable – so that you’re recognisable. To earn trust, brands must compel stakeholders with their values and convictions, along with evidential proof through action.

Clarity and specificity: Today, broad “top-line” statements simply won’t cut it. Swift’s statement is a great example – she doesn’t just deny the claim, she is definitive in her candidate of choice (and why), leaving no room for ambiguity nor interpretation. If you leave gaps in your message, someone else will fill them in for you.

Tone and consistency: The tone of voice must be consistent with the brand personality, but also in line with the context of the situation. Highly sophisticated communicators recognise that tone and nuancing are critical – especially in text format to ensure misinterpretation is minimised. 

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