NFL + Taylor Swift = marketing heaven

+ a TikTok Jesus preaches prosperity; foreign language study dips US Edition - Today's top story: 5 marketing lessons from the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance [View in browser]( US Edition | 18 November 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( When the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, fans will be excited to see the most recent Super Bowl contenders go head-to-head again. But an even bigger attraction may be in the stands: Taylor Swift is expected to be at the stadium to cheer on her new boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce – and to introduce their parents. The megastar has already attended several NFL games, igniting a media frenzy at each – and boosting TV ratings, resale ticket prices and even jersey sales along the way. While some football fans have grumbled, they shouldn’t expect the NFL to reverse course anytime soon. Embracing Swift is a smart move for the league’s bottom line. Clemson University professor of sports marketing Angeline Close Scheinbaum explains why in her article “[5 marketing lessons from the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance](.” This week we also liked articles on how climate change is [affecting animals’ brains](, how PFAS are [getting into marine environments]( and [whether time travel is possible](. Tracy Walsh Economy + Business Editor The stands at Kansas City Chiefs games look different than they used to. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images [5 marketing lessons from the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance]( Angeline Close Scheinbaum, Clemson University Of course the NFL is embracing Taylor Swift. Between 2009 and 2021, nearly 30% fewer college students enrolled in a foreign language course. FatCamera/E+ Collection/Getty Images [Fewer U.S. college students are studying a foreign language − and that spells trouble for national security]( Deborah Cohn, Indiana University A new report from the Modern Language Association shows an unprecedented drop in the study of foreign languages among college students. Jesus images on social media promise divine rewards for today’s fast-paced age. TikTok [A TikTok Jesus promises divine blessings and many worldly comforts]( Brandon Dean, University of Iowa A scholar of American religion explains how a new phenomenon of Jesus images on TikTok is tapping into the prosperity gospel, a Christian belief that God will reward faith with this-worldly comforts. - [Amid ‘checkout charity’ boom, some Americans are more likely to be impulse givers than others]( Lauren Dula, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Ruth K. Hansen, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Middle-class consumers and shoppers of color give the most this way. - [Gettysburg tells the story of more than a battle − the military park shows what national ‘reconciliation’ looked like for decades after the Civil War]( Katrina Stack, University of Tennessee; Rebecca Sheehan, Oklahoma State University How should opposing armies be commemorated on a battlefield? Gettysburg offers an especially interesting example of today’s debates over Confederate monuments. - [‘From the river to the sea’ – a Palestinian historian explores the meaning and intent of scrutinized slogan]( Maha Nassar, University of Arizona The slogan has been attacked as ‘antisemitic’ and defended as a ‘call for freedom.’ Behind the controversy is decades of usage. - [Dreams of a ‘broken up’ Russia might turn into a nightmare for the West – and an opportunity for China]( - [Jury convictions of Bannon and Navarro for refusing congressional subpoena may energize lawmakers’ ability to hold powerful people accountable]( - [PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are getting into ocean ecosystems, where dolphins, fish and manatees dine – we traced their origins]( - [The universe is expanding faster than theory predicts – physicists are searching for new ideas that might explain the mismatch]( - [Tons of acorns? It must be a mast year]( - [Is time travel even possible? An astrophysicist explains the science behind the science fiction]( - [Climate change is altering animal brains and behavior − a neuroscientist explains how]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met face-to-face on Nov. 15 to discuss economic relations and other issues. Where did they meet? - A. Shanghai - B. San Francisco - C. Singapore - D. A Steak 'n Shake in Sandusky, Ohio [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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