Taylor Swift Lends 2022 Track “Mastermind” to New ‘Survivor’ Season 45 Ad

Lately, Taylor Swift and her music are inescapable. Her takeover of network TV started with NBC. The network featured several shots of her during last weekend’s Chiefs vs. Jets game. Additionally, an ad for the game featured her song “Welcome to New York” alongside footage of Travis Kelce. Now, Swift has made her way onto CBS. “Mastermind” soundtracks the latest Survivor commercial.

CBS premiered the ad featuring her 2022 track from Midnights during the network’s coverage of Saturday’s Alabama vs. Texas A&M game. Additionally, CBS plans to run the ad during tonight’s NFL double-header, according to Deadline.

The season 45 premiere of Survivor aired on September 25. It is already the most-watched TV episode on Paramount+. However, the viewership of the next episode is likely to be higher due to the use of the 2022 Swift song.

Recently, the world saw how powerful Swift’s presence could be. For instance, her attendance at Kansas City Chiefs games has inspired more people to tune in. More specifically, the Jets vs. Chiefs game saw a 53% increase in viewership by girls between the ages of 12 and 17.

Additionally, the game saw a 24% jump in viewership from women between the ages of 18 and 24. It is possible that Survivor could see a small bump after using “Mastermind” in their most recent ad.

At the same time, it’s a fitting song. In the ad, viewers can hear contestants talking about the mental aspects of the show. Quotes such as “That’s some strategic excellence right there,” and “I’ve watched every season of Survivor,” play out over Swift’s song.

Then, near the end of the ad, Swift’s voice comes in, singing the chorus of the song: What if I told you none of this was accidental? / And the first night that you saw me / Nothing was gonna stop me. / I laid the groundwork, and then / Just like clockwork / the dominoes cascaded in line. / What if I told you I was a mastermind?

There’s no question that Swift is, indeed, a mastermind. A look at her massive and devoted fan base is enough to prove that. She has surpassed the position of being an entertainer and has become a cultural phenomenon.

Photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images