Taylor Swift, BTS & Beyoncé: Celebrity Names That Get Etsy Shops Banned

You made a friendship bracelet kit. Didn’t use any logos. Didn’t copy any designs. Just cute beads in nice colors.

But you tagged it “Taylor Swift” for visibility.

Two weeks later, your listing is gone. A month after that, three more listings removed. Now your shop is suspended.

This happens constantly. Celebrity names are some of the riskiest words you can put in an Etsy listing. And some celebrities enforce way more aggressively than others.

Here’s who’s watching and what it means for your shop.

Why Celebrity Names Are Different

Celebrities don’t just have fame. They have trademarks.

Taylor Swift has trademarked her name, “Swiftie,” “Eras Tour,” and dozens of other terms through TAS Rights Management. Beyoncé operates through Parkwood Entertainment. The Kardashians have an entire portfolio of protected terms.

When you use these names to sell products, you’re not just name-dropping. You’re potentially infringing on registered trademarks.

And unlike corporations that send generic DMCA notices, celebrity legal teams are known for pursuing sellers aggressively. Some have actually sued individual Etsy sellers.

The Active Enforcers

These celebrities (or their management) actively search for and remove unauthorized merchandise:

Taylor Swift

Risk Level: Extreme

Taylor’s team is arguably the most aggressive on Etsy. TAS Rights Management has filed thousands of takedowns.

Trademarked terms:

• Taylor Swift (obviously)
• Swiftie
• Eras Tour
• 1989 (in Taylor context)
• Individual album names
• Various song lyrics and phrases

What gets flagged:

• Friendship bracelet kits “for Swifties”
• “Eras Tour outfit” descriptions
• Any product described as “Taylor Swift inspired”
• Tour-related merchandise of any kind

The 2023-2024 crackdown: During the Eras Tour, enforcement went into overdrive. Sellers who’d operated for years suddenly got multiple takedowns. Many lost their shops.

BTS / HYBE Artists

Risk Level: Extreme

HYBE (BTS’s label) has a dedicated legal team for intellectual property enforcement. They also own:

• Seventeen
• TXT
• ENHYPEN
• Other K-pop artists

Trademarked terms:

• BTS
• Bangtan
• Army (in BTS context)
• Individual member names
• Album and song names
• Fandom-specific terms

What gets flagged:

• “BTS inspired” anything
• Products for “Army”
• Photocard holders mentioning BTS
• Concert-related merchandise

K-pop enforcement is particularly aggressive because of the massive merchandise market in Asia. These companies are used to fighting counterfeiters and they apply the same approach to Etsy sellers.

Beyoncé

Risk Level: Very High

Parkwood Entertainment enforces Beyoncé’s intellectual property actively.

What gets flagged:

• Beyoncé name usage
• Renaissance Tour references
• “Beyhive” products
• Song lyric usage
• Image usage of any kind

Beyoncé has actually sued Etsy sellers in the past. Not just takedowns - actual lawsuits. This is rare, but it happens.

The Kardashian/Jenner Family

Risk Level: Very High

Each family member has separate trademark portfolios, and they all enforce.

Protected terms include:

• Kardashian (all variations)
• Kylie Jenner / Kylie Cosmetics
• Kim Kardashian / SKIMS
• Khloé Kardashian
• Various product and brand names

These aren’t just names - they’re business empires with legal teams on retainer.

Blackpink / YG Entertainment

Risk Level: High

YG Entertainment follows the HYBE model of aggressive IP protection.

Trademarked terms:

• Blackpink
• Individual member names (Jennie, Lisa, Rosé, Jisoo)
• Blink (fandom name)
• Album and song references

Moderate Enforcers

These celebrities enforce, but less consistently:

Harry Styles

Some enforcement on merchandise using his name directly. Less aggressive than Taylor Swift but still risky.

Ariana Grande

Occasional takedowns, especially around tour periods.

Dua Lipa

Some enforcement on direct name usage.

Bad Bunny

Growing enforcement as his market presence expands.

Rihanna

Protects “Rihanna” and especially “Fenty” (her brand name).

Post Malone

Limited enforcement but technically protected.

Doja Cat

Emerging enforcement.

The Gray Zone

These names are risky but enforcement varies:

Deceased Artists

• Prince (estate actively enforces)
• David Bowie (estate enforces)
• Michael Jackson (estate enforces)
• Whitney Houston (varies)

Older Artists

• Madonna (some enforcement)
• Dolly Parton (limited enforcement, generally brand-positive)
• Rolling Stones (protects the lips logo especially)

Bands

• The Beatles (Apple Corps enforces)
• Metallica (known for aggressive IP protection since Napster)
• AC/DC (some enforcement)

What Actually Triggers Enforcement

Not every mention gets caught. Here’s what draws attention:

High risk:

• Name in listing title
• Name in tags
• Direct association with tours/albums
• Product photos with celebrity images
• High-volume listings that appear commercial

Lower risk (but still risk):

• Buried mentions in descriptions
• Low-volume shops
• Highly transformative/artistic work

Always risky regardless of placement:

• Using celebrity images
• Copying official merchandise designs
• Using trademarked phrases (“Swiftie,” “Army,” etc.)

How to Sell to Fans Without Getting Banned

You can sell products that fans want without using protected names.

For concert-goers:

• “Concert friendship bracelet kit”
• “Tour outfit accessories”
• “Music festival jewelry”
• “Stadium bag” (not “Eras Tour bag”)

For fan merchandise:

• Color schemes without names (you can sell pink and black items without saying “Blackpink”)
• Generic fan terms (“music lover,” “concert fan”)
• Aesthetic descriptions (“cottagecore bracelet” vs “Taylor Swift folklore bracelet”)

For custom work:

• “Custom lyrics jewelry” (customer provides their own lyrics)
• “Personalized fan art” (generic listing, custom execution)

The key: Make products that fans want to buy, but don’t name the celebrity in your listing.

If You’re Already Selling Celebrity Merchandise

Step 1: Audit immediately. Search your shop for every celebrity name on this list. Check titles, tags, descriptions.

Step 2: Remove all name mentions. Every single one. Even “inspired by.”

Step 3: Rebuild listings. Same products, different words. “Friendship bracelet kit” instead of “Swiftie friendship bracelet kit.”

Step 4: Check your photos. Any celebrity images need to go.

Step 5: Monitor your shop. If you’ve already had takedowns, more might be coming.

The Business Reality

I know this is frustrating. Celebrity fandom products sell well. That’s exactly why you want to make them.

But consider:

• One suspension could end your shop
• Rebuilding reviews and history takes years
• The sellers who succeed long-term don’t rely on celebrity names

The Etsy sellers who thrive selling fandom-adjacent products do it without the names. They sell “cottage aesthetic jewelry” that happens to appeal to Taylor Swift fans. They sell “K-pop photocard holders” without mentioning BTS.

Your products can serve these customers. Your listings just can’t name them.