The Power of Friendship Bracelets and Lemonade: How music icons connect with fans and spark movements

Chances are if you ask someone on the street if they know who Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are, they would say “yes.” Both public figures have mastered building relationships with their audiences and using their influence to power cultural movements.

PRSSA Kent students had the opportunity to learn about how Taylor Swift and Beyoncé leverage social media and media relations to build their influence. Speakers included
Hannah Wing, Ph.D., assistant professor at Wichita State University and Carli Cichocki, a PRKent alum and freelance photographer and video producer served as guest speakers. Marcus Collin, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Michigan joined via a video interview.

Wing researches the impact of media narratives on personal narrative construction and examines the relationships between media consumers and media personae, most of which focus on Taylor Swift. Carli Cichocki worked on the Good Bus Tour for Foster the People and as a videographer for President Biden when he was serving as Vice President under President Obama. Collins, a former digital strategist for Beyoncé and author of For the Culture, shared insights about how it’s not about building a community with fans but tapping into the believers of the artist and helping them (fans) evangelize on your behalf (the icon, celebrity, or brand).

Junior exploratory major Alexia Rivera said she enjoyed learning about the possibilities a career in PR could bring her and how it could allow her to help shape people or organizations into influencers. “I enjoyed hearing about what they do, it makes it easier for me to consider what I could do if I went into PR,” Rivera said.

From the insights Cichocki, Collins and Wing shared, students learned how listening to your audience can help facilitate an online community that can become ambassadors for your brand.

Students ended the night by making friendship bracelets, sipping on lemonade, enjoying cowboy boot cookies made by Professor Ewing and discussing what they learned.  PRSSA thanks our speakers for sharing their knowledge with our students and everyone who attended the event.

Read about Kent Wired’s coverage of the event here: https://kentwired.com/122174/latest-updates/prssa-and-aafs-icons-and-influence-event-shares-celebrity-public-relations-insights/