Recently, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released a series of fun commercials in collaboration with Apple Music. The ads feature songs by Drake & Future (Jumpan) and Jimmy Eat World (The Middle), both of which experienced skyrocketing sales after the Apple Music ads were featured (Simmons, 2016). Although the number of people who signed up for Apple Music after the advert is not yet known, it is safe to say that the campaign reached millions of Taylor Swift fans; 3.8 million, to be exact, and on Facebook the number has almost doubled (Swant, 2016). In this article I argue that the implicit story and sequential quality of ads contribute largely, if not exclusively, to campaign success. This is due to the marketing team's use of normalization and a sequential strategy. I will cite Abbot and Berger's chapters on narrative, closure, and marketing to support my argument. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The history of advertisements and implied meaning are central because of what they imply; by showing a popular and respected industry figure like Taylor Swift, who has openly rejected other music streaming providers like Spotify, supporting Apple Music suggests to the consumer that there is something special about Apple Music, something that makes it better (Peoples, 2015 ). Berger's chapter on marketing explains that "we are... under the illusion that all our decisions are based on logic, rationality, needs, or our notions of what is best for us" (Berger, 2004, p. 141). While the average consumer believes they chose Apple Music over its competitors for logical reasons, it's more likely that Taylor Swift's collaborative efforts with the company attracted an untapped consumer demographic (i.e. TS fans who don't had access to his music on Apple Music). Spotify, but could on Apple Music). This persuasive message is conveyed subtly, giving the consumer a sense of power over their decision, which doesn't necessarily exist. The implicit political message is not the only meaning conveyed through the narrative of the ad. The viewer is further drawn into the depiction of Taylor Swift performing unexciting everyday activities, such as running on a treadmill. Taylor shares his thoughts and states in an ad "I hate cardio" ("TAYLOR vs. TREADMILL"). This general opinion resonates with consumers and makes them feel like they have something in common with a popular icon. Abbot explains how this type of advertising works in his chapter on narrative rhetoric; explains normalization as follows:…our need for narrative form is so strong that we don't truly believe something is true unless we can see it as a story. Bringing a collection of events into narrative coherence can be described as a way of normalizing such events. It makes them plausible by allowing one to see how they all “belong” (Abbot, 2002, p. 44). Let me explain this in the context of the advertising campaign studied here: Abbot is explaining that the normalization of a story is strongly based on whether we, as viewers, believe the events being told and can imagine them in the form of a story. While Taylor Swift ads don't necessarily convey a linear plot, we are exposed to the story of Taylor Swift's daily life and the role that Apple Music playlists play in making these moments exciting. It's reasonably plausible that Taylor Swift works out on a treadmill, even if she doesn't like cardio. It's also reasonably pricedIt's plausible that she uses Apple Music playlists to help her get into the cardio mindset. And the fact that she falls off the treadmill, in what appears to be a very painful way, takes her further from icon to the status of a normal human being. The same logic applies to the second ad, analyzed below. In "Taylor Mic Drop," she's getting ready to go out (even though her face is already completely made up) and listening to an oldie makes for the funniest moment. The song chosen is noticeably different from the song in the first ad. The significant action in the ad that I would like to focus on is when Taylor says in the second ad “I used to listen to this in middle school” (“Taylor Mic Drop”). Once again, Taylor Swift is normalizing herself, making the public think of a young Taylor in middle school, before fame, playing a popular song just like us "normal" people. The normality shown in the ads, especially when the subject is someone the general public considers "above average" due to his celebrity statues, attracts viewers and consumers, making the commercial a success for the company. To further analyze what makes the commercial successful, in terms of narrative, I will discuss the series' use of closure, best explained by Abbott: "Closure is... best understood as something we look for in a narrative..." (57). This may seem vague, but let me explain: Abbot means that closure is best understood as the satisfaction that viewers want from the end of the narrative; whether we are satisfied or not is a different question (Abate, 58). As for the Apple Music ads studied here, we are satisfied and therefore have a conclusion. What is satisfying about the ads is the conclusive ending. While we can expect or hope that more Taylor Swift ads will be added to the campaign, the individual ads that already exist have a degree of beginning, middle, and end that satisfies the viewer. The first commercial, for example, begins with Taylor preparing to do cardio, even though she doesn't like it. The middle is when he finds Apple Music playlists to run, and the end is when the playlist he chooses is so good he falls off the treadmill, and the ad closes with the appropriate tagline "amazingly good" that sums up the main message , perfectly (“TAYLOR vs. TREADMILL). The coherent narrative told, even if in a very short time, gives the audience a feeling of satisfaction that attracts them to the brand, making the commercial a success. The second ad also gives the audience a sense of closure, although not in the same way as the first. “Taylor Mic Drop” also has a beginning middle and an end, but the tagline is different (“Every song for every moment”) making the message of this ad different. This begs the question: isn't it a serial campaign if the message of each ad is different? Not necessarily. Other serial ads, such as Geico's “Unskippable” campaign, always feature the same slogan, clearly classifying the campaign as a series. Even if Taylor's ads don't do this, it's still a serial ad because the core message of the campaign itself is still present (i.e. Apple Music playlists can make every moment extraordinary, even for someone who is already 'extraordinary' as him. Taylor Swift). Taking this into consideration, perhaps we should think of the second ad of the campaign as a sequel. Before we continue, we need to understand that the success of the first ad is what prompted a follow-up, and according to Sutherland, this is how a company should market itself. While one might expect these announcements to have been planned months in advance, it is equally plausible to suspect that if the first announcement had not been as successful as it was, the second.