Sabrina Carpenter is the pop star everyone’s talking about, and her rise to fame feels like it happened in the blink of an eye.
Whether it’s her catchy lyrics or iconic looks, her accelerated success is no accident. She’s a marketing genius and there’s a lot we can learn from her strategy…
Develop a niche aesthetic
What really sets Sabrina apart is her unique aesthetic. She doesn’t follow fleeting fashion trends – instead, she’s crafted her own distinct style. With her signature 50s-inspired look, and her unapologetically flirty energy, she’s almost impossible to forget. So much so, that whenever you see a sweetheart neckline or a playful cut-out heart, you can’t help but think, “That’s so Sabrina Carpenter”.
The lesson here? Trends aren’t everything; don’t be afraid to be different.
Associate yourself with ‘it’ brands
While her personal brand doesn’t follow trends, Sabrina knows how to tap into what’s hot and make it work for her. Just look at her collaboration with Blank Street, where she popped up at their Charlotte Street location, serving coffee to customers like it was just another normal day. Sure, it makes sense – she has a whole song called ‘Espresso’ – but teaming up with one of the most popular coffee brands of the year? That’s a power move. Plus, Blank Street’s colourful and retro vibe is the perfect match for Sabrina.
In a similarly savvy move, Sabrina recently covered ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ by Chappell Roan at Radio One’s Live Lounge. Why would she choose this song? Well, it’s one of the most popular songs of the moment and Chappell is currently blowing up all over social media.
Now, anytime someone searches for Blank Street or Chappell Roan (which let’s be honest, is a lot) they’ll also find Sabrina. Genius.
Build excitement
During the first leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, where Sabrina was supporting, it was almost impossible to scroll through TikTok without seeing a video of Sabrina’s performance – unusual for a supporting act.
Her viral success was down to the unforgettable outros to her song ‘Nonsense’, where she would change the lyrics based on the place she was performing. In Mexico City she sang, “He said where you at I said I’m busy. Sipping on tequila getting tipsy. Con mis chicas in Mexico City” while in Kuala Lumpur it was, “Played it so good, you don’t need an encore. Let me hear you scream Kuala Lumpur.”
Fans all around the world would eagerly anticipate the lyric change for their show and would subsequently share it on social media, with some videos gaining millions of views. Sabrina really is a pro when it comes to building hype and creating a feeling of exclusivity – marketing 101.
