We unlock the emotional power of fandom for brands.

Thought Leadership

In our last piece we wrote about Delta’s recent changes to their loyalty program and the backlash it caused. Based on the outcry of longtime SkyMiles members, Delta’s CEO announced that they will be reworking the program changes the day we published it. This is a great example of how collective fan feedback can influence […]

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Thought Leadership

Delta’s recent change to their Skymiles program is a case study in how they enraged their most loyal fans while simultaneously devaluing the benefits of flying with the airline. For years they have maintained a competitive edge with both on-time arrival and customer experience, fostering robust connections with its most dedicated patrons, creating a loyal […]

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Announcements

 In our latest episode, we speak with Aja Romano, a respected writer and expert in fandom and culture at Vox Media. We dive into the evolution of fandom, the stigma associated with it, and how brands can effectively engage with fans. Aja shares her personal journey into fandom and highlights the importance of authenticity […]

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Podcast

In our latest episode of, “The Fan Lab”, we dive into the fascinating journey of Glossier with Elizabeth Affuso, who is a professor of media studies with a focus on fashion and beauty cultures, as well as the shifting dynamics of celebrity and influencer economies. She published a case study, Into the Flow, examining how […]

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Podcast

  In this episode, host Jonathan Hanson talks with Avi Santo, a professor and department chair for communications at UNC Chapel Hill.  We dive into the fascinating world of fandom, identity, and fan entrepreneurship. Through his research and expertise in media studies, Santo sheds light on the intersection of consumer culture, fan communities, and the […]

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Thought Leadership

Companies that are able to build fandom around their brands gain tangible ROI through long term brand preference. Research shows brand preference directly improves profitability, price premiums, cash flow and market share. Case in point, Monster Energy. Monster has dialed in their marketing, skipping TV ads and traditional advertising, instead tapping into fans across adrenaline […]

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Thought Leadership

Download Decoding Fandom. Win today’s fans and create cultural relevance. In some of our previous fandom data insights, we talked about how one of the characteristics of a strong fandom is the social connection that occurs through a shared passion. Fandom is not a demographic or a psychographic, it’s a latent emotional mindset that emerges […]

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Thought Leadership

The current incarnation of fandom has grown out of the early internet message board culture of the late 1990s. Since then it’s grown into the dominant mode by which people connect and relate with each other about the things they care about. And whether it’s creating controversy or commerce, fandom’s reach and power is impossible […]

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Thought Leadership

Fandom activates our need to be a part of something larger than ourselves, while simultaneously deepening our sense of individuality so marketing to fans requires a different mind set. It’s something that we saw in our experience in the sports and athletic apparel space, but isn’t limited to just that vertical. The thread that ties […]

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Announcements

If you asked us to pick the most powerful force in brand building over the past few years, the answer would be easy: it’s fandom. We’ve seen it transform brands through our work in sports, athletic apparel and footwear. And we can see it across culture, showing up in people waiting in line for Old […]

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Announcements

We’ve always believed that business can be a force for good and have worked hard to create an agency where our values are reflected in our actions. So in that spirit, we are very proud to announce that we are officially B Corp Certified. Our recent certification is proof that it’s possible to balance purpose with profit, […]

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Work

Full Case Study Here In the world of casual footwear, Crocs has become a household name, known for their comfortable and versatile shoes. However, they wanted to go beyond their existing fan base and tap into the fervor surrounding college athletes and the world of sports. In a strategic move,  we worked with Crocs to […]

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Announcements

Building a thriving employer brand and culture is hard. The modern work environment is at a major inflection point – The Great Resignation, Hybrid vs. Remote vs. In-person, GenZ entering the workforce – it’s hard to keep up, but more importantly hard to stand out.  We help employers create fandom for their workplace, culture, and […]

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Work

We help employers create fandom for their workplace, culture, and employee experience because we believe a strong employer brand and culture has an important role in creating brand equity. It greatly influences retention and alignment which ripples outward to affect how a brand shows up publicly. We worked with NZXT to help them solidify their […]

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Work

As an agency with an office in Baltimore, we are proud to work with Visit Baltimore, on a recruitment campaign. They are a private, not-for-profit organization and the official destination marketing organization for the City of Baltimore. They generate economic benefits for the region through the attraction of convention, group and leisure visitors by marketing its […]

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Work

  Americans have been using CRAFTSMAN tools for generations and are apart of any do-it yourself tool bench. We worked with them as their e-commerce and social media video production partner, creating photography and explainer videos for their website and e-commerce retailers like Lowes and Home Depot. We crafted each video to help ensure that […]

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Thought Leadership

This article originally appeared in Jonathan Hanson’ Adweek column. Brand equity is a term that sounds like it’s rooted in the world of finance. In some ways it is, because it’s all about creating brand value on the perceived quality it has, regardless of the actual quality of the product or service. The perceived value […]

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Thought Leadership

When it comes to promoting your brand, creating high-quality content that resonates with your audiences is of the utmost importance. While consistently creating these quality deliverables for your social media channels, website, marketing and advertising can be expensive, there are ways to maximize the amount you create during the production process. You’ll want to implement […]

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Thought Leadership

This piece was penned by co-founder, Jonathan Hanson, for our quarterly newsletter. I was recently engaged after vowing to never get married. As I happily eat every word I’ve said disavowing the practice, I’ve been reflecting back on both romantic and professional relationships. I’ve gotten a lot wrong, like saying “never”, or allowing ego to […]

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Thought Leadership

    As you know, creating content is a necessary albeit expensive part of your marketing and advertising strategy. Picking the right production team to bring your vision to life is vital to not only getting the final product that you want, but doing so in a timely and fiscally responsible manner. There are steps […]

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