What every business can learn from Taylor Swift
When Taylor Swift started showing up at NFL games, two massive audiences suddenly collided. Millions of football fans were introduced to Taylor Swift, and millions of Swifties started tuning into football. This kind of unexpected mash-up that pulls entirely new eyes into your world is one of the most powerful marketing moves in 2026. And local businesses can do the same thing!
Think about a local auto shop and a local chef. Normally, those audiences don’t overlap much. But imagine hosting a five-course pop-up dinner inside the auto shop. Suddenly, diners who would never visit a mechanic are experiencing the shop in a fresh way, and loyal auto customers are exposed to a culinary talent they might never have tried. Each business gets visibility, loyalty, and word-of-mouth in a way no ad campaign could buy.
Fashion brands are already playing with this idea. Lacoste, for example, recently turned its heritage brand into an experience by hosting branded dinner parties. If global brands are leaning into unexpected partnerships, small businesses can absolutely win at the local level.
There’s a simple truth I’ve seen most organizations overlook. And as the marketer for the Chamber of Commerce, I’ll give you a marketing insight for free: our unfair advantage is in-person magic. That’s our biggest differentiator and once you see that, this marketing strategy becomes obvious. Crossovers are the next evolution of that, and small businesses can lead the way.
Especially as AI and digital tools continue to dominate every business conversation, what sets small businesses apart is the ability to connect in person. Crossovers are the perfect stage for this. If you’re trying to market like everyone else, you’re missing the point. Crossovers can spark curiosity in the most unlikely place (no competition), create new conversations the media will want to share (design your own trend), and build memories (not transactions).
And if you’re still not convinced, think about the one thing nearly everyone has in common, no matter the audience. Hint: It’s after work. After work, when people reconnect, they usually default to dinner and catching up. We all do it. That’s fine, but it’s also a missed opportunity. Relationship science shows that simply maintaining relationships doesn’t create anything new. What better way then to attend a crossover. They give two friends the chance to participate in something novel, shoulder-to-shoulder, building fresh bonds and expanding networks in the process. It’s a win for both. Move over work-life balance. This is about growing your business and strengthening your personal relationships at the same time.
You’ve probably already seen or personally experienced the growing coffee shop/brewery and yoga/fitness studio pop-up, where there’s a fitness class inside a brewery, or coffee shop followed by locally roasted coffee. Or the morning dance parties inside a cafe. This is only the beginning. These events drive sales and stories. And stories spread.
If I was a Carlsbad business, here’s how I would do this. First, I would ask, whose audiences never cross paths, but would benefit if they did? I’d look for tension and surprise. Come from different industries (service and product, industrial and lifestyle, B2B and B2C). Create a funny or unexpected visual. Solve two problems at once in a quirky way.
Here are some crossovers I have envisioned, featuring Carlsbad Chamber members to show you how this could actually work locally:
Auto Repair Shop × Fine Jewelry Store “Sparkle & Spark Plugs” ladies’ night pop-up.
Redmond Diamond Center, Made Design Jewelry, Carlsbad Auto Service, Inc.
CPA × Brewery “Taxes & Taps” April workshop.
WWM Financial, Easy Life Management, Spira Accounting, Ramp, Pure Project, Burgeon Beer.
Funeral Home × Coffee Roaster “Death Café” series on legacy + lattes.
Campfire, The Goods, Aura Gardens, Cacao Adventures, Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Mortuary & Crematory.
Construction Company × Art Gallery Pop-up exhibit inside a half-finished building.
Dempsey Construction, Front Porch Gallery, Taylor Gallegos Art
Dog Groomer × Tech Startup Launch party where pups test “dog cam” gadgets.
Dogs on the Run, D33.AI
Car Wash Concert or Car Wash Fashion Show
Bach to Rock Music School , Gazelle Fashion & Style, Wheely Clean Car Wash
Clean windows × clean data Pop-Up where cyber hygiene meets literal hygiene
AU Technology Solutions, Freedom Window Cleaning
Florist × Bookstore: Poetry night among the flowers.
Flowers Forever, New Village Arts, Dove Library
Over the next decade, businesses that think beyond their industry box will win. The Chamber is uniquely positioned to help make these partnerships happen, because our members represent every corner of the community. Imagine if just 10% of members committed to one crossover a year, the ripple effect would reshape how Carlsbad connects.
It will take a lot to sustain a business in the next 10 years. What are you doing creatively to make sure your business still matters? And if you’re brainstorming growth strategies this week, ask yourself: Who’s my “Taylor Swift crossover”?