Is Taylor Swift’s silent approach to negative headlines genius or will it backfire?
A longtime PR expert has weighed in on the Cruel Summer songstress’ strategy exclusively to DailyMail.com – and he believes it’s a ‘clever’ and ‘effective’ attitude that other celebrities should learn from.
The singer, 34, has long been known for taking the high road when it comes to rumors and bad press.
She hardly ever speaks out about her breakups or feuds publicly, but instead, she throws in cryptic clues about them in her songs, letting her fans spread theories about what the lyrics mean.
But Jon Harris, 56, from Chicago, Illinois, who has spent over three decades working in PR, said Taylor’s silence allows her to ‘stay in control of the conversation and doesn’t let the press dictate her image.’
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PR experts have weighed in on whether Taylor Swift’s silent approach to negative headlines is genius or whether it will backfire
‘I think that Taylor Swift and her team are very smart about how they handle rumors,’ he said.
‘You must commend her on the fact that she doesn’t feel like she must immediately respond to everything and anything that comes her way.
‘By staying silent on issues, she doesn’t give the press much to work with – other than continued speculation.
‘She knows that if she responded to every rumor, she would just fuel the fire and further the speculation.
‘So overall, she’s able to stay in control of the conversation and doesn’t let the press or anyone dictate her image. Pretty clever, right?’
Jon added that Taylor sprinkling subtle references to public drama throughout her songs ‘works in her favor’ because it forces people to focus on ‘her art’ while also giving her a chance to ‘share her side of the story in a creative and lasting way.’
‘Rather than jump in and address everything that is said or written about her and running the risk of making things worse, she takes the “wait and see” approach, letting things blow over so people focus on what’s important – her art,’ continued the communications expert.
‘Instead of making big public statements, she drops little hints in her songs or likes posts on social media.
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Jon Harris (seen), 56, from Chicago, Illinois, said Taylor’s silence allows her to ‘stay in control of the conversation and doesn’t let the press dictate her image’
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Jon said Taylor adding references in her songs ‘works in her favor’ because it forces people to focus on ‘her art’ while also giving her a chance to ‘share her side of the story’
‘It’s a very low-key, but effective way of responding without stirring up additional drama.
‘And it keeps people guessing – which as we have all witnessed first-hand, continues to work in her favor.
‘It gives her a unique way to share her side of the story in a creative and lasting way. It is far more meaningful that an X comment or an interview.’
Taylor faced immense scrutiny last week after she was spotted hugging pal Brittany Mahomes at the US Open – days after Patrick Mahomes’ wife showed her support for former President Donald Trump by liking a slew of posts about him online.
At the time, Taylor had kept her lips sealed about who she was planning to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and many social media users became outraged that she hadn’t spoken out about the topic and continued to publicly hang out with Brittany.
Days later, however, Taylor publicly endorsed candidate Kamala Harris following the Vice President’s debate against Trump on Tuesday night – a dramatic move that strays from her typical silent approach.
Taylor also stayed notably quiet after her BFF Blake Lively became embroiled in controversy amid the recent It Ends With Us drama.
Jon pointed out that often when stars publicly respond to backlash, their words can be ‘misconstrued,’ a problem Taylor has eliminated with her approach.
‘Silence prevents things from turning into a much bigger mess, unlike direct responses that can add to the story and fuel more gossip and speculation,’ he added.
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Taylor faced scrutiny last week after she was spotted hugging pal Brittany Mahomes at the US Open – days after Brittany showed her support for former President Donald Trump
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Many people became outraged that Taylor hadn’t spoken out about the upcoming Presidential election and continued to publicly hang out with Brittany
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Days later, however, Taylor publicly endorsed candidate Kamala Harris following the Vice President’s debate against Trump on Tuesday night – a dramatic move that strays from her typical silent approach
But according to Jon, there are cons to the hitmaker’s PR strategy, as he explained that ‘sometimes silence can give the appearance of guilt or avoiding responsibility.’
‘This can potentially lead to reputational damage,’ he warned. ‘You have to stay close to the situation in the event that it would benefit the artist more by commenting.’
He also said failing to address drama could give ‘others permission to do your talking for you.’
‘There is also a high chance that this could lead to misunderstandings and misinformation,’ added Jon.
Despite the risks, he said that Taylor and her longtime publicist Tree Paine ‘have done an outstanding job in managing her media and public relations.’
‘The strategic handling of Taylor’s public image, particularly during high-profile break-ups, events and controversies has been world-class,’ he concluded.
Lindsay Lohan’s former publicist Steve Honig, 57, from New York, also weighed in on the topic exclusively to DailyMail.com – and he said that while the silent approach to bad press works for Taylor, it may not be a successful strategy for other stars.
He theorized that it’s only effective for the musician because of her immense ‘level of fame.’
‘[Its success depends on] the celebrity’s level of fame and how well they are liked by the public,’ he said.
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Taylor also stayed notably quiet after her BFF Blake Lively became embroiled in controversy amid the recent It Ends With Us drama
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Lindsay Lohan’s former publicist Steve Honig, 57, said that while the silent approach to bad press works for Taylor, it may not be a successful strategy for other stars
‘Generally speaking, the bigger the celebrity and the more they are liked, the more the silent approach will work.
‘It’s sort of like the larger and more well-built a ship is, the more it can withstand the waves.
‘The “Taylor Swift boat,” for example, can withstand a lot, so for her, keeping quiet about rumors and negative headlines is likely the right path.’
He added that staying tight-lipped about a breakup or celebrity feud might be okay, but certain controversies should always garner a response – like if a star uses a ‘racial slur,’ for example.
‘There are times when clarifications, apologies or actions are necessary no matter how big or well-liked the celebrity,’ he stated.
‘It’s also important to recognize that many times issuing a response to negative press becomes a story in and of itself thereby creating more negative attention.
‘A celebrity should not respond just for the sake of responding – there needs to be some benefit to doing so.’
