Being a ‘fan’ of something has existed for like, ever, right? Even way back in 207 BC the best gladiators were treated like celebrities.
So why is “Fandom” the new buzzword around (marketing) town?
First, let’s break down what it means.
‘Fan’ is a person, while ‘Dom,’ derived from Kingdom, is a place ruled by a monarch.
So if Fandom is about the connection between person and place, it’s easy to see modern-day examples of it at play. Think playing on your NBA team in the Metaverse, Harry Potter fanaticism or Disney theme parks. Taylor Swift’s Fandom sees everything from her record-breaking Eras Tour to the book published about the almost cult-like Swifties. Her Fandom is so widespread brands across the globe have been quick to cleverly align themselves to leverage her Fandom.
Whether it’s sports, books or entertainers there are endless communities of like-minded loyalists swooning over a shared passion. BUT, true Fandom goes beyond mutual enjoyment and into a sense of belonging and active participation unlocking the holy grail of marketing - advocacy.
Brands have entered the chat. How do you build Fandom?
Being a modern brand is hard, gone are the days of one output defining your business (Vanilla Ice*, ahem). Nearly 75% of Gen Z say they are more likely to be loyal to a company that speaks to environmental issues and social change.
Now brands don’t just have to produce and market their products. They need to differentiate themselves, be engaging, and enforce inclusivity and social change - all while seamlessly appearing in both the physical and digital worlds? Fandom seems chill.
Let’s stop, collaborate and listen*. Here’s 3 steps to building brand love and Fandom.
1. INVITE COMMUNITY
Fandom is buzzing at a time when physical and digital worlds are blurred - becoming what we at TRIBE like to call… Phygital communities. According to McKinsey, “Gen Z long to belong to an inclusive, supportive community”, even more than other generations. Brands have a huge opportunity to create those inclusive spaces AND help fuel conversations.
But remember, a community is not a social media account. Repeat after me, a community is not a social media account.
It’s not enough to create a space, post about yourself and hope people feel included. Inclusivity needs to be in your brand’s DNA.
Look at Millennial-founded brands like Gymshark, FazeClan and Glossier - completely different industries that elevated fans into loyal advocates. Ben Francis was 19 when he founded Gymshark and created avid fans from the weight lifters he shared the products with. He invited like-minded people to connect with the brand and gave them something to belong to. Those same people spread the word - authentically.
It was early-day influencer marketing. Today, it’s a lot easier to achieve!
2. GROW COMMUNITY
Once your fans have a place to experience your brand, whether physical, digital or “Phygital”, help them find their people.
How do you do this? Appeal to what emotionally connects your fans to that place and your brand. What drives shared enthusiasm and enjoyment?
An example. Know anyone who exclusively flies one airline? Good chance they’re a Loyalty Rewards Program member. Those programs grow in two ways - incentives to stay, and referrals.
Creators can be a major catalyst for Fandom in the same way. You're inviting them in, incentivising them to stay and advocate for you. The key lies in doing it authentically.
We tell the TRIBE creator community to only pitch to brands they already love.
By partnering with them you’re inviting like-minded fans to tell their like-minded audiences about something they love - creating shared enjoyment.
Today it doesn’t even need to be creators or influencers. Employee-generated content provides a deeper ‘insider’ voice to brands. The same way BTS content in Netflix’s Drive to Survive sparked newfound Fandom for a sport that’s been around since 1950.
Your community is out there, Fandom is about experimenting with creators, content and channels to find them.
3. NURTURE COMMUNITY
2 in 3 consumers (67%) say the specific brands they are fans of help express their personality. So, your brand needs to have one too, and one that aligns with theirs.
Value alignment is the perfect place to start. Gen Zers (especially) expect brands to care about social change, equality, inclusivity and sustainability.
Connecting with your fans on their values draws them in, but even more powerfully - makes them stick and fuels advocacy.
Accessing TRIBE’s diverse creator community is an incredible shortcut to finding brand advocates. But, fuelling your advertising with their authentic, story-led content is the secret to nurturing your community and igniting Fandom.
Fandom isn't random
Consumers are looking for reasons to love brands. And they’ll quickly tell you if they do or don’t!
The first step. Define why they should and what you stand for.
Then, apply a ‘brand love’ lens to your Creator Marketing strategy. From discovering your existing fans to generating the content needed to attract and nurture more fans, content creators have you covered.
By understanding the needs of your audience and encouraging shared enthusiasm and enjoyment, the data shows the modern consumer will advocate for you. Perhaps even your very own Swifties or TRIBE-rs (patent pending).
Need help fostering community or diversifying your content?
You’ve come to the right place. Get in touch with our team and let’s get to work on generating brand Fandom together. 🫶
