(Photo from Taylor Swift’s Instagram)

If you live in Kansas City, there is no way you haven’t heard about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement. The couple shared the announcement via Instagram on Tuesday, August 26, at noon. The caption of the post read “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

“I think it was one of the most viewed Instagram posts ever, especially in those first few minutes,” Social Media Marketing and Advertising Professor, Megan Neher said. “I heard about it from my family group text. And I couldn’t believe it. So I think that is another piece of it that made it so exciting. It was just this whole buzz. It was going around in text, it was getting snowballed, [and] it was being reposted. [People kept asking] ‘How did you hear about it?’”

Captivating many fans around the world, Swift and Kelce’s announcement quickly took over as a conversation topic. But the real question is, why? What was so special about this particular post?

“I think there was a lot of anticipation, first off,” Neher said. “I think a lot of people were waiting for this to come and so it was such a surprise that it came on a Tuesday. So I think that the surprise and delight factor was something she’s known for. And so that was a lot of fun. I don’t think that the fact that it came via social media was a surprise. I think that makes perfect sense.  Not just because of her audience, but because of that’s where we get our news. It’s not just where young people get their news, It’s where we all get our news. I was looking at some stats and it’s like 65 to 70% of us are getting our news on social channels today. So it’s no surprise that that’s where she wanted to announce it.”

The post features five emotional and intimate photos from the proposal moment.

“Well, I think that she is intentional in everything she does, and I think that by announcing it through social media, they wanted to control the message, so I think that they had a specific reason for choosing the order of the photos,” Neher said. “When you are working with an influencer, or a celebrity, or whoever it is, even us, when we’re posting something on our own social media, we get more likes when we show our faces. She knows that, or her people know that. So starting with the photo that is so endearing probably made a lot of sense. Our hearts are melting when we see that.”

JCCC student Xaviana Reece agrees that the photos shared seem to express true emotion and give us as viewers a look into the couple’s dynamic.

“The way I view it is that people would look at this as a romantic [scene], like a new couple getting into the romantic feeling moment, I would say in a classic way with the flowers and stuff,” Reece said. “It looks like they’re in a forest and that adds a feel to it.”

Aside from having a great effect on viewers, the post had an impact on sales of products, including the dress Swift wore in the photos.

“I saw the dress was Ralph Lauren and it sold out in every size,” Neher said. “I saw that his jersey, just on that day it was up 200%. A local restaurant showed a picture of them dining in their restaurant with the flowers. It was just a total spoof. All kinds of local wedding venues were like ‘we’ll do your flowers, or come and have your wedding here.’ I think it’s just a great way that people can have fun with it.”

Not only were clothing sales skyrocketing because of the news, but national brands took advantage of this announcement to help advertise their products and services.

“Oli Pop is national and they did a really cute social post that said “Your English teacher, your gym teacher just got married”, and then it had 13 and 87 on the side of the sodas,” Neher added. “And we talked in class about how this came to be. So at noon somebody sees it, and then what happens? We talked a lot about teamwork and collaboration when you work in marketing or advertising. We talked through what happened. Who brought it to who, and then how did this graphic appear? And how quickly does something like this happen? It wasn’t just local. Kansas City went crazy.”

Brands across the country wanted to feel included in the excitement of the engagement, and so did fans across the globe.

“I think that [people] feel like they’re her friend,” Neher concluded. “You know, once we saw it, we were like, ‘I’m  a part of her engagement, I’m a part of her wedding. Where’s the wedding?’ You know, then you start speculating. I went to a book club that night and my friends and I were all like, ‘I wonder if we’re invited to the wedding’ and we were just joking, of course. But we just feel like we are her friend, and that she was sending out a beautiful post to all of her friends. Her millions and millions of friends.”

With over 36 million likes, and 10 million reposts and shares, the post leads to a community full of people who are all elated for the famous couple.

“We all feel like we are a part of it,” Neher added. “There’s a sense of belonging and I think that she’s created that, because she’s a genuine, authentic person who has worked really hard to do that. And that’s not easy when you’re that famous.”