How brands are trendjacking the Swift-Kelce engagement
The Tayvis engagement broke the internet, and brands didn’t miss a beat
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship has been a headline-generating machine since day one, but now it’s entered full fairytale territory. The couple recently announced their engagement via Instagram, cheekily captioning the post: “Your English teacher and gym teacher are getting married.”
Within hours, Swifties were lighting up the internet, and brands were right there with them, rolling out pun-packed trendjacks faster than you can say “Enchanted.” It’s no surprise. Taylor Swift is the ultimate cultural currency, and her partnership with Kelce has marketers scrambling to insert themselves into the narrative.
It was her album at first, life of a showgirl. Brands didn’t stop there. Now even her engagement is being trendjacked.
This article rounds up some of the sharpest (and quirkiest) brand responses to the Tayvis engagement, and breaks down why reactive marketing like this keeps working.
Short on time?
Here is a table of content for quick access:
- LEGO builds the perfect love story
- Krispy Kreme gets emotionally glazed
- CHIJMES positions itself as the dream wedding venue
- Domino’s Malaysia delivers love on a budget
- The Empire State Building makes a formal pitch
- Auntie Anne’s pretzels keeps things salty-sweet
- Olipop offers love in a can (and a big discount)
- What marketers should know
Patrecia Meliana
LEGO builds the perfect love story
LEGO kept its trendjack minimal but clever, posting a reimagined photo of Swift and Kelce as LEGO minifigures with the tagline: “The greatest love story ever built.” It was a clean, on-brand way to tap into the Tayvis moment without veering into cringe.
It’s a reminder that effective trendjacking doesn’t always need a CTA or promo code. Sometimes, all you need is relevance and timing.
Krispy Kreme gets emotionally glazed
Krispy Kreme’s take leaned all the way into unfiltered fan mode. In an Instagram post styled as a leaked internal email, a social media manager begs for a day off to cope with the engagement news, with a dozen doughnuts, of course.
They sweetened the chaos with a timely promo. Free Original Glazed doughnuts during a two-hour window, pitched as emotional support for Swifties. Smart, snackable, and deeply relatable.
CHIJMES positions itself as the dream wedding venue
CHIJMES, the iconic Singaporean chapel featured in Crazy Rich Asians, positioned itself as a fairytale wedding option. It Photoshopped Swift and Kelce into its historic venue with the line: “Ready to start your enchanted chapter?”
It was a local take that successfully tapped global hype while keeping things contextually relevant with a nod to Swift’s hit song Enchanted.
Domino's Malaysia delivers love on a budget
Not every fan is walking down the aisle, but Domino’s Malaysia offered an alternative. A personal pizza proposal. Their video post showed a man getting down on one knee, not with a diamond ring, but with a hot pizza box.
With personal pizzas going for RM5.90, it was an offer as cheesy as it was effective. The brand managed to stay playful while still driving conversion.
The Empire State Building makes a formal pitch
Taking things to cinematic heights, the Empire State Building made its own wedding pitch in a TikTok that highlighted sweeping skyline views, framed photos of Swift, and a caption that read: “Our formal application to be Taylor and Travis’ wedding venue.”
The move wasn’t just theatrical. It was a savvy bid to own part of the cultural conversation around New York and Swift’s “Welcome to New York” era.
@empirestatebldg Ready when you are @Taylor Swift! #empirestatebuilding #newyork #nyc #taylorswift #swiftie #swifttok @Travis Kelce
♬ original sound - call me big badonkadonk lover
Auntie Anne's pretzels keeps things salty-sweet
Auntie Anne’s chimed in with a salty twist on Swift’s Lover lyric “I’d marry you with paper rings.” Their spin: “I’d marry you with pretzel rings.”
It’s a simple pun, but it works. Especially for a brand that’s built on snackable indulgence. No promo, no flash sale. Just a quick hit of cultural relevance.
Olipop offers love in a can (and a big discount)
Functional soda brand Olipop used the engagement to reward Swift-Kelce fans with an evergreen discount. 28% off subscriptions using the code LOVERS13. The offer riffed off Swift’s lucky number 13 and the couple’s “gym teacher and English teacher” persona.
It was also a great example of how to turn viral culture into long-tail conversion.
What marketers should know
If you're in brand marketing or PR, here's what the Tayvis engagement trendjacks reveal about cultural playbooks in 2025.
1. Relevance still wins over originality
You don’t need a million-dollar idea to trendjack well. A smart visual pun or cultural nod timed right is enough to go viral, especially if it's authentic to your brand.
2. Engagement moments don’t need to be permanent
Brands like Krispy Kreme and Olipop didn’t just post. They offered time-sensitive rewards. Marketers can capitalize on viral spikes with flash promotions, limited-time codes, or regional activations to turn engagement into action.
3. Local brands can ride global waves
CHIJMES and Domino’s Malaysia proved that international news can be locally leveraged, especially if there's a genuine tie-in or strong visual hook. This kind of regional creativity is often more effective than a generic global response.
4. Don’t overthink your voice
Whether you’re the Empire State Building or a pretzel brand, leaning into the fandom language and online tone of Swifties worked. Just be sure your team understands the nuance. Swift’s fan base is savvy, and pandering can backfire.
The Tayvis engagement was always going to be internet-breaking. But the way brands joined the conversation shows that reactive marketing still works when it’s fast, fun, and audience-aligned.
For marketers, it’s a reminder. You don’t need to be part of the love story to show up at the party.
