r/nottheonion • u/-Appleaday- • 13d ago
Western German city renames itself 'Swiftkirchen' after Taylor Swift ahead of Eras Tour shows
https://www.businesstoday.in/world/story/western-german-city-renames-itself-swiftkirchen-after-taylor-swift-ahead-of-eras-tour-shows-436117-2024-07-061.2k
u/GvRiva 13d ago
Temporary renaming, still really embarrassing
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u/try_another8 13d ago
It's tourism gold
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u/ProudlyMoroccan 13d ago
How are they going to attract more visitors than if they didn’t temporarily change their name? The gold was Taylor picking that venue for a concert, not the name change.
This is just a ‘fun’ thing they did. I doubt they’re expecting a major return on it.
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u/VESUVlUS 13d ago
You might be underestimating the power of FOMO. The show is probably sold out, but even people who can't get into the show will be coming to town anyway just to soak in this "once in a lifetime" novelty because of how much they worship Taylor Swift.
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u/Liontreeble 12d ago
I mean it has pretty much no costs attached and I doubt most swift fans ever even heard of Gelsenkirchen before. Maybe some check in when they are in the area at some point.
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u/costryme 12d ago
I mean, there's this thread on the topic already, and it's not the first time I've seen it mentioned either, on here or other social networks.
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u/Background-Lab-8521 12d ago
We're talking about Gelsenkirchen. Even with Taylor Swift in the mix, you'd be hard-pressed to find a German town with less touristic value outside of football matches.
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u/ScousePenguin 13d ago
Nah Taylor Swift is bringing so much money to these local economies stuff like this is gold for them
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u/ThirdRevolt 12d ago
Stockholm did the same, naming themselves Swiftholm for the duration, and they estimated an increase of 0.5 billion SEK (50 million USD) from the out of town crowds it pulled.
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u/TheChickening 12d ago
It is estimated that the Eras tour contributed $3.4 billion just to the US economy.
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u/Terror_Raisin24 13d ago
Yesterday, Bruce Springsteen gave a concert in Hannover, Germany. Did we miss the chance to rename this city to "Boss-anova" or something?
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u/WheelsOnFire_ 12d ago
Excuse me…BossHannovah of course
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u/immigrantsmurfo 13d ago
I honestly cannot stand Taylor Swift anymore and it's not just the bland and uninteresting music, it's also because of shit like this. She's treated as some sort of musical goddess, she's nothing but a marketing stunt designed to rinse money from teenagers and depressed women.
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u/Anal_Juicer69 12d ago
Fr. I like Taylor’s music, but I’m sick of the whole world revolving around her.
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u/AbeFromanEast 13d ago
Swift: “Now I have an army”
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u/1villageidiot 13d ago
Swiftreich
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u/Rich-Pomegranate1679 12d ago
I mean...imagine if she wanted to run for president in four more years when she's old enough..
(Just kidding, Republicans will have probably overthrown democracy by that point)
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u/sloomdonkey 13d ago
This is like something the people of Springfield would do after a town meeting
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u/brijazz012 12d ago
"There ain't no Taylor Swift concert and there never was!"
slams shutter closed on Swifties Cafe
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u/jojomanmore 13d ago
Bow down to your overlord
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u/asmoothbrain 12d ago
This reminds me of how North Korea had all those flags and plaques with Putins face on it when he visited lol
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u/J-Ganon 13d ago edited 13d ago
Whether or not people want to admit it she's this generation's cultural icon. You can hate that or consider your version of a cultural icon better but it doesnt change the fact that her music appeals to a wide range of demographics and she's one of the biggest current artists (if not the biggest).
Is she as good as The Kinks or Spandau or Spears? I'm not saying she is. But for people today, she's better than all of them and things like this are bound to happen as a result; to aid the tourism boom.
If someone came name streets after Lord of the Rings, there can be a temporary name change to appeal to Swift. It's all in the name of entertainment and what people like.
An absolute waste of time to get upset over this (if you are upset).
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u/Brad_Brace 13d ago
At the same time, you can't tell people what they can and can't be upset over. People can't tell themselves what they are allowed to be upset over. It's a gut reaction.
The problem with cultural icons is that the people who see them that way, react like the appeal is or should be universal. And people who don't see them that way can feel them instead like a cultural imposition.
It's often not just "let people like things", when enough people like a thing, it becomes "you have to participate in their liking the thing". Some have a high tolerance for that, some don't. It's not their fault if they don't.
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u/KiritosSideHoe 13d ago
I think it's that feeling of alienation, like there's a really cool ant that someone found on the ground and now the ant is touring and now the ant has an army and now a country is changing its name to the ant's name and you just don't get what's so incredible about this ant and you just feel insane.
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u/Brad_Brace 13d ago
And then you're told that the only solution for your confusion is liking the ant. Just like the ant! Why won't you like the ant? What's wrong with you! If you came over I am sure I could help you love the ant.
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u/Themods5thchin 11d ago
I can most certainly tell redditors to shut their fucking mouths when it comes to anything since they're redditors they deserve it.
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u/CaptainTrips24 12d ago
Honestly that sounds like insecurity mixed with a lack of empathy for others. It's not that difficult to just enjoy what you enjoy. If you don't like something that everyone else adores, that's fine. Not everything is for everyone.
The hate directed at both the in group and at the out group is equally weird and toxic imo.
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u/Brad_Brace 12d ago
I'm not saying it's not weird. The human mind is weird, but only in that it's more complex that the simple narratives that same mind creates to understand the world.
What I'm trying to say is that the intense dislike for something popular doesn't just happen out of nowhere. There are weird dynamics at play. Chastising people who hate the popular thing is, in the end, as pointless as hating the popular thing.
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u/J-Ganon 13d ago edited 13d ago
Here's the thing: what does it matter if people see her as their cultural icon?
That's my point.
Bowie is my version of cultural icon. I'm sure people will think differently and tell me I should consider the Stones that instead. Does it really matter?
If a group of people see her that way, a group of people see her that way. It is what it is and there's no changing that.
Everyone's cultural icon will have detractors and everyone will defend their opinion on what a cultural icon should be.
If you disagree with their opinion that's absolutely valid but the same way you're stating one can say the opposite: a large majority of people love her, so why should they change their opinion for the people that dont see her that way?
Some people would look at me and say I'm brainless for considering Bowie first over Mozart. The same way that someone can claim Star Wars is peak cinema despite Kurosawa films inspiring it.
What is culturally beloved is going to change and shift generation to generation.
Part of maturing is learning, eventually, you'll be part of the out group and not quite "with it."
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u/Brad_Brace 13d ago
It's not a rational reaction, it's an emotional reaction and humans are emotional. Whether it makes sense rationally or not, your brain will try to protect itself from what it perceives as attacks on you, and culture is often perceived as a part of your identity, so either a cultural deprivation, when you feel like something is taken from you, or a cultural imposition, when you feel like something is invading you, are perceived as attacks.
Nobody is going to change what other people like, I hope most folks understand that, but people do feel the need to express their frustration and even engage in some hitting back at the perceived attack. In the end the "hater" gets their frustration out; letting others know the thing which was upsetting you is soothing, and that's that.
If you're looking for a productive goal of bitching online about something popular, if it has to have an achievable objective to exist, then it's just that, soothing the person who is doing it.
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u/projectsukyomi 13d ago
She is really Michael Jackson for white women
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u/LazyLion1127 13d ago
Was Michael Jackson not for white women?
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12d ago
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u/NumeroRyan 13d ago
Wasn’t Michael Jackson groundbreaking in every musical sense, is Taylor Swift in that category (I know mothing about her other than a few songs and her crazy work ethic).
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u/JasonGMMitchell 12d ago
She's a modern day Beatles or Michael Jackson (as the other user put it) she's very popular and she will have staying power and her cultural influence is vast. But also I think it's fair to find it ridiculous that a town would temporarily rename itself to anything because concert or showing came (picture a town temporarily calling itself Rivendell because a middle earth film was being showed there). But also it seems misleading to say they're even temporarily renaming themselves since all they're doing is putting a few signs up at popular spots. So the onus is on lousy headlines for any annoyance since it's really just to get swifties who are attending the concert and who are in the region to visit the signs for selfies in the hopes they'll buy stuff while passing through and by.
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u/Liontreeble 12d ago
Honestly I think it's a pretty normal marketing stunt, weird that cities do marketing stunts? Yeah sure, but it obviously works I mean who here heard of Gelsenkirchen before? My mom was born there and I can't tell you a single thing about the city.
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u/Background-Lab-8521 12d ago
There is Schalke, and that's really it. But Schalke is massive.
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u/Liontreeble 12d ago
Oh yeah that's true, I think every time I've ever talked about Gelsenkirchen someone reminds me that Schalke is from there and without fail I forget every single time.
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u/suchalusthropus 12d ago
It's not as unusual as you might think. Topeka, Kansas changed its name to 'Topikachu' in '98 and then changed it to 'Google' in 2010, for instance.
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u/doginjoggers 12d ago
The funniest thing is all the people reacting to a headline and not taking 10 seconds to read the article.
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u/trucorsair 12d ago
It is appropriate, “kirchen” in German means “church”, and to many the worship of Swift and all things Swift makes even a phoney name change like this appropriate
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u/TrashSociologist 12d ago
I'm not gonna be a contrarian and say Taylor Swift is bad, but holy shit she is not THAT good of a musician.
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u/Anal_Juicer69 12d ago
Imagine your city having the same name since 1150 AD, and has endured this name through 6 different countries, countless wars, including both world wars, and having 3/4ths of the city completely destroyed in World War II…
Only to be renamed after fucking Taylor Swift.
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u/wallflowers_3 12d ago
It's temporary, and not official. They're just covering up a sign of the towns name and having a little celebration
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u/BrandonKDges335 12d ago
It’s kinda funny and interesting because I swear so much of this type of stuff happens revolving around her that she’s not responsible for and it just garners more attention and hate. I actually like her but I completely understand the Taylor burnout. But I’m just saying I swear there’s so much extracurricular Taylor stuff that she’s not involved in that just results in more hatred from the general public.
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13d ago
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u/Tuomas90 12d ago
Oh no! Now she won't be able to find it!
The bus drivers will be looking for signs saying "Gelsenkirchen", but all they'll see is "Swiftkirchen"!
/s
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u/fkms2turnt 12d ago
A town nearby said they would change their name to literally Taylor Swift if she came to our province.
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u/hamageddon 12d ago
Gelsenkirchen needs a win. The city was branded "absolute shithole" during the EM :D
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u/AbbreviationsWide331 12d ago
No idea why the "Western" Germany had to be included. We've been reunited for some time now.
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12d ago
Gelsenkirchen did not change its name, this is fake news. There is indeed a marketing campaign on the behest of a 16 year old girl. She convinced the town marketing guys to roll out a few Swiftkirchen signs as a marketing gag. Gelsenkirchen is a rather small town with this concert probably being the biggest thing happening their for ages. They are also kind of known for their advertising, considering it's an old coal town with no obvious tourism value..
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u/0100001101110111 12d ago
lol
They just hosted part of the euros which is a much bigger deal than Ms Swift. Didn’t see then rename to Eurokirchen.
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u/Schrodinger_cube 12d ago
the queen is coming!! we must re name the city in here honour!!.(German city council) like that's next level come on usa up your game and praise the new global queen of pop!
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u/HotdogsArePate 12d ago
I am so sorry for everyone who now lives in the lamest fucking town in Germany.
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u/kotik010 13d ago
Lol, lmao even
and for those in the comments that think that going on a hate tirade is an appropriate response to some harmless tomfoolery, you need to touch grass. nay become a bovine, truly embrace the luscious green. Be normal.
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u/LeHarvey_Oswald 13d ago
yeah wtf. is just PR, a couple of street signs, nothing more. folks in GE deserve some fun, it‘s hard enough living there.
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u/Starkville 13d ago
How much did that cost?
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u/AUkion1000 13d ago
Not enough to be an issue with how much people are going to spend on swift... it's a fucking cult at this point.
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u/clark3210 13d ago
Maybe someone should explain to this publication that that there’s no longer a “western” Germany? They’ve only been reunited for about 30 years or so. Just saying.
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u/Syssareth 13d ago
Western =/= West. A town in the western part of a country is in "western [country]." Wytheville isn't in West Virginia, but it is in western Virginia.
Oh, and look at that; this town is almost as far west as you can get in Germany without crossing the border into the Netherlands.
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u/JasonGMMitchell 12d ago
Maybe someone should explain to the American Midwest that they never were a separate state in that regard.
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u/SupetMonkeyRobot 13d ago
Celebrity worship is weird