Alert – Celebrity ‘best friends’ are the latest Hollywood publicity strategy – but how can you tell the real friendships from the fake ones?

When Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes were spotted hugging at the US Open last weekend, the seemingly small gesture acted as a powerful statement that showed the singer was still standing by her BFF – despite Brittany coming under fierce fire days earlier for liking posts about Donald Trump.

In the aftermath of Brittany’s support for the former President, many wondered if Taylor would distance herself from Patrick Mahomes’ wife.

But the Cruel Summer songstress, 34, who went on to endorse Trump’s opponent Kamala Harris days later, sent a clear signal to the public that Brittany, 29, was still in her good graces by attendeding the sporting event together.

It certainly helped deflect some of the public scrutiny that Brittany was facing, and it was not the first time that Taylor used her immense influence to help her star-studded pals.

In fact, celebrity friendships have been used to boost stars’ images for decades, according to PR expert Jon Harris, 56, from Chicago, Illinois.

When Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes were spotted hugging at the US Open last weekend, the seemingly small gesture acted as a powerful statement

‘We see all the time in sports, music, TV, movies and on digital/social. This goes back to the 1950s,’ he dished exclusively to DailyMail.com.

‘Look at acts such as Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Abbott and Costello, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth.

‘The illusion of friendship helps sell the act, which is wild. Think about it, [some of] these people performed together even though they may not have been speaking with one another off stage or off set.’

It’s no secret that any time that Taylor is spotted hanging out with someone, it instantly shines a fierce spotlight onto that person.

The singer and her elite girl gang – which consists of a slew of famous faces like Blake Lively, Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, and latest addition, Brittany – often dominate headlines. 

And they’re not the only ones. In fact, whenever major stars come together it sends social media into a frenzy – like Ivanka Trump, Kim Kardashian, and Lauren Sanchez, who gained immense attention for their newfound friendship after they were all pictured together at the reality star’s birthday bash earlier this year.

While many celebrity pals may have genuine friendships, Jon said a lot more than you think may only be hanging out because they know it will boost their images.

The celebrity PR guru pointed out that if two actors who are starring in a film or show together appear as close pals off camera, it could make the film seem more appealing to the public.

The hang out helped deflect some of the public scrutiny that Brittany was facing, and it was not the first time that Taylor used her influence to help her pals

In fact, celebrity friendships have been used to boost stars’ images for decades, according to PR expert Jon Harris, 56, from Chicago. Taylor is seen with her pals Karlie Kloss and Gigi Hadid

‘People love to see other people get along. [It causes] increased visibility and exposure – being in the spotlight with another celebrity can boost one’s own public profile,’ he continued. 

‘In entertainment, people love a good story and knowing [stars are] real-life friends goes a long way with the audience.

‘We see all the time in sports, music, TV, movies and on digital/social. This goes back to the 1950s,’ he dished exclusively to DailyMail.com 

‘[Just look at] every movie junket to see how friendships are leveraged [in Hollywood]. 

‘[It always seems like] everyone had a great time on set, everyone liked each other, everyone is looking forward to work together again. It’s sunshine and lollypops.’

When Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment starred in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana together, they appeared as though they were close as could be in real life too. 

But Miley revealed years later that she and her costar didn’t ‘get along’ behind-the-scenes. 

In addition, years after The Vampire Diaries went off the air, Nina Dobrev confessed that she and Paul Wesley ‘didn’t like’ each other at first, despite seeming like they were super tight in the press for the show.

But Jon warned that sometimes this can backfire and go completely wrong – if the public starts to sense that the friendship is ‘inauthentic.’

It’s no secret that any time that Taylor is spotted hanging out with someone, it instantly shines a fierce spotlight onto that person. She’s pictured with Blake Lively

Whenever major stars come together it sends social media into a frenzy – like Ivanka Trump, Kim Kardashian, and Lauren Sanchez, who recently grew close

The PR guru said if two actors who are starring in a film together appear as close pals in off camera, it could make the film seem more appealing. Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez are seen left and Blake Lively and Leighton Meester are seen right

Last year, the cast of Olivia Wilde’s movie Don’t Worry Darling headed to the Venice Film Festival to promote the flick – and tension was immediately clear on the red carpet.

When Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment starred in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana together, they appeared as though they were close as could be in real life too – but they later admitted that they didn’t get along

Rumors of a feud between director Olivia and actress Florence Pugh had already been swirling, and their icy interactions sparked a media storm that quickly overshadowed the film’s release.

Similarly, drama recently plagued the press tour for the new movie It Ends With Us, after fans began to notice that costars Blake and Justin Baldoni seemed to be avoiding each other in the weeks leading up to the release.

They failed to do any press together and didn’t take photos with one another at the premiere, and the rumored feud lead to both of them receiving immense criticism from the public. 

‘Being inauthentic can really hurt you. When your audience or fanbase feels as if you haven’t been truthful with them, there is a loss of trust that may never be regained. Trust is everything,’ warned Jon.

Eric Schiffer, a ‘leading international expert in reputation, brand and political strategy,’ from Los Angeles, California, agreed that while PR friendships could bring ‘dazzling benefits’ like ‘more press opportunities’ and ‘exposure to new fanbases,’ it can also lead to ‘catastrophic pitfalls.’ 

But Jon warned that sometimes this can backfire and go completely wrong – if the public starts to sense that the friendship is ‘inauthentic.’ A still from the film Don’t Worry Darling is seen

Last year, the cast of Olivia Wilde’s movie Don’t Worry Darling headed to the Venice Film Festival to promote the flick – and tension was immediately clear on the red carpet

Rumors of a feud between Olivia and Florence Pugh (seen on set) had already been swirling, and their icy interactions sparked a media storm that overshadowed the film’s release

Similarly, drama recently plagued the press tour for the new movie It Ends With Us, after fans began to notice that costars Blake and Justin Baldoni seemed to be avoiding each other

‘If fans or the public feel duped by a phony setup, both [stars] can face a brutal backlash,’ Eric said.

‘Worse, if there is a rift, a war of words, and bad blood gushes into rival fan camps, it can cause millions of fans to turn on one or both – as they watch their star power bleed out before their eyes.’

As for how to tell if a celebrity friendship is fake or genuine, Jon said to look out for pairings that are being overly promoted in public.

‘There is a lot of work that goes into promoting these friendships,’ he added. ‘It’s very hard to tell.

‘But I think eventually the truth will [always eventually] come out. Remember, it is called show-biz for a reason.’

Eric Schiffer (seen), a ‘leading international expert in reputation, brand and political strategy,’ from Los Angeles, agreed that while PR friendships can lead to ‘catastrophic pitfalls’ 

‘If fans or the public feel duped by a phony setup, both [stars] can face a brutal backlash,’ Eric said. Blake and Justin are seen in It Ends With Us 

Eric, who has been working with A-list celebrities, athletes and public figures in PR for over 30 years, added, ‘Knowing which ones are legit versus a giant fake can sometimes be tough, but there are clues. 

‘Consider the timeline of a major project or those who only show up in high-profile locations.’

Lindsay Lohan’s former publicist Steve Honig, 57, from New York, also weighed in on the topic exclusively to DailyMail.com – and he echoed Jon and Eric’s sentiments.

‘A celebrity friendship can go a long way in that it’s like a business partnership, combining the best of both companies from social media followings to overall publicity and public attention,’ he dished.

‘This sort of thing dates back to the days when the studios would have two of their stars date for the purpose of getting publicity for a movie or increasing one of the star’s appeal with fans.’