In true Taylor fashion, she teased the album with many Easter Eggs, including an image of an orange glitter vinyl record against a sea green background on her website.

Within hours of the tease, brands across industries recreated their logos and products in the style of Taylor’s glittering reveal, trying to take advantage of a cultural moment.

Many, however, may have missed asking themselves a few crucial questions.

• Will this resonate with my audience?
• Are we adding to the conversation, or just adding noise?

So when the next big cultural moment arrives, how can your brand decide if you should get involved?

1. Understand your audience. Know which subcultures and pop culture moments matter to them. Without this insight, you risk missing the mark on what truly resonates.
2. Set strategic criteria. Decide in advance when your brand will—and won’t—lean into a cultural moment. Establish clear brand safety guidelines to avoid missteps.
3. Be ready to act. Create an action plan for designing, approving, and posting assets quickly. The goal is to be timely, not behind the trend.

Cultural moments move fast. The brands that win are the ones prepared to move even faster.