How Brands Can Actually Support Music Fangirls (Instead of Just Exploiting Them)
Fangirls have proven over and over again that they will show unwavering support for their favourite musical artists. However, instead of embracing this dedication, many brands exploit these fans for their own benefit.
The dedication of fangirls has led to unmatched brand loyalty, with collaborations launching successfully, merchandise selling out within minutes, and viral content circulating on every platform leading up to new releases or tours – all created for free. But what do fangirls get in return? Limited-edition items sold at unreasonable prices, misleading marketing campaigns that encourage unpaid promotion, or ideas that are plagiarised or passed off as the brand’s own.
Companies have begun to realise that fangirls can be the backbone of their commercial success. Consequently, when engagement strategies with these communities are inauthentic, prioritising profits or data over genuine experience, they ultimately prevent their own achievements.
Instead, there are several methods for brands to support fangirls and leverage their emotional connection to their favourite artists, fostering positive reception in the marketplace and promoting lasting engagement.
The first step to cultivating a genuine relationship with fangirls is to ensure that their perspectives and experiences are central to decision-making. Brands must research these communities and immerse themselves in their spaces to learn the central topics discussed among fans, how they communicate, reactions to existing campaigns, etc. This way, the messages developed are relevant to filling the gap that’s currently missing.
Part of this also includes recognising that fandoms are already fully functioning engines on their own. From organising streaming parties, pre-show activations, and fan projects to trending hashtags and running independent artist-inspired shops, there is clearly no lack of creativity or content marketing. The best brands will look for where to contribute to what’s already established in these communities and improve the experience.
For example, brands can sponsor fan events to support the initiatives created by fans, for fans. The brand could reach out to the organising accounts on social media and work with them to scale the event or bring it to multiple cities. These events are typically funded out of pocket by the fans themselves, so the backing of a company not only relieves the pressure of fundraising but also empowers them to dream bigger and reach a wider part of the fan base. With Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour next year, it would be refreshing to see R.E.M. Beauty support the activations that surely have been in the drafts of worldwide Arianators since the album release.
Next, brands can support fangirls by providing exclusive opportunities that are custom-built for the fandoms they are targeting. We are in an era of innovation, leaving room for companies to get creative and craft non-traditional fan experiences. Sometimes, when they feel stuck, they can even get these ideas from fans themselves! Some of my favourite threads to read on Stan Twitter are “What I would do if I were on [insert artist here]’s team”. Brands can collaborate with users to bring some of those concepts to life, creating unique and compelling moments that establish trust between brands and fans.
They can also activate fans to engage with the brand through campaigns such as merchandise design competitions, content challenges to win a concert experience or backstage opportunity, inviting active fan accounts to exclusive meetups, or mailing promotional packages to fans as an additional leg to a collaboration. These initiatives inspire fans to develop loyalty to the brand rather than asking for shares or likes on a post that only leads to high engagement numbers.
Finally, brands can support fangirls by considering their fan experience in hiring practices. Fangirls are impressive marketers, even if they don’t have a formal education. Many fan editors mastered Adobe Suite for the sheer purpose of executing the vision of their favourite artist clips to the song(s) they associate them with. Graphic designers create their own version of tour posters or merch they’d like to see released. There are entire accounts dedicated to tracking streaming numbers and organising efforts to get a release to the top of the charts. Other fans have coded apps to coordinate fan projects across a multi-thousand-member audience.
Community building, data analytics, digital marketing/strategy, video editing, graphic design, and event planning are just some of the areas that are covered in fandoms. If more brands validate candidates’ experiences as fans as “real” experience, they can bring valuable insights for companies to stay on the pulse with fans’ needs and interests and ensure that the messaging is meaningful and relevant to the target audience.
Overall, brands have nothing to lose but everything to gain by supporting fangirls. One of my favourite initiatives this year was during Stray Kids’ Dominate World Tour, where Live Nation and JYP Entertainment approved fan video projects to be shown on the concert screen towards the end of the show. It featured the submissions of STAY around the world, creating an intimate, memorable moment between the members and the audience to reflect on the journey to such a magical night.
By implementing strategies that keep fans at the centre, brands can cultivate an authentic relationship with fangirls, turning the previously exploitative dynamic into one of mutual respect and appreciation that celebrates what we all love – the music and artistry.
