The Fandom Revolution: How Creators, TikTok, and Spotify Are Rewriting Marketing

The New Marketing Landscape

When I first walked into the Variety Entertainment and Technology Summit last week, I expected to hear about the usual suspects: AI, data analytics, and digital trends. What I got instead was a masterclass in fandom — and how creators, TikTok, Spotify, and Pinterest are redefining how brands connect with audiences.

The old playbook of tightly controlled marketing messages is long gone. Today's entertainment marketers have embraced a participatory culture where fans become co-creators. It's not just about pushing content anymore; it's about nurturing communities that generate their own excitement, their own storytelling, and their own marketing.

TikTok: The Platform That Turns Fans Into Marketers

Let's start with TikTok, which has become the undisputed king of fan-driven content. Dawn Yang, global head of entertainment for TikTok, shared some eye-opening numbers: over 12 million TV and film posts are created daily by users. That's not just a lot of content — that's a movement.

"We have over 12 million TV and film posts that are posted by our users every day now, and that just gives you the perspective how much content there is around just stories that they love and want to share with everyone," Yang said.

It's fascinating to think that fans are becoming marketers themselves — or at least, that's what Briana McElroy, global head of digital marketing for Lionsgate, has decided. She told the audience that Lionsgate actually hires fans to create TikTok content for the brand. These aren't just videos — they're emotional, visual pieces that capture a fan's love for a character or movie.

"That's wildly popular, and it's really a lot of kids — 17 year olds, 18 year olds, 15 year olds — it's their way of expressing their love for a person or a movie or a musician," McElroy explained. "The temptation is to try to replicate that on our end. But we thought, why do that? If we're talking about authenticity, the best way to do it is to let the fans themselves do it."

Spotify: Music as a Bridge to Community

If TikTok is where fans express themselves visually, then Spotify is where they connect emotionally. Jenny Haggard, global head of thought leadership at Spotify, challenged the myth that Gen Z doesn't engage with long-form content.

"As an industry, it's now common practice to make ads that are six seconds long," she noted. "I went into our dashboards and found that a third of older Gen Zs on Spotify are streaming 100% of two-hour-long podcast episodes. So what that tells me is that Gen Z isn't allergic to long-form content; they're allergic to shitty content."

This speaks volumes about the importance of quality storytelling. It's not just about making your content short or snappy — it's about creating something so good, so meaningful, that people want to stick around and consume it all.

Haggard also challenged marketers to stop treating Gen Z as a monolithic group. "The first mistake we see marketers make is they treat Gen Z as one group," she said. "Life stage is a better predictor of behavior than birth year."

She's absolutely right — a 17-year-old who's just starting college has different motivations and consumption habits than a 29-year-old navigating their first big job in New York City.

Pinterest: Crafting Real-World Fan Experiences

Sara Pollack, global head of consumer marketing for Pinterest, highlighted how fans use the platform not just to discover new content, but to create real-world experiences. For Gen Z, fandom is about more than just watching — it's about doing.

"It's like they're coming to Pinterest to figure out how to turn that fandom into real world moments and experiences that they share with others that feel rich and fulfilling," Pollack said.

She cited a recent campaign with Warner Bros. for the theatrical release of "Practical Magic 2." Fans were sourcing information on herbal apothecaries, crystal meanings, and tarot readings — all adjacent to the film's themes. Pinterest then partnered with Warner Bros. to create a pop-up experience where fans could get tarot readings, custom-make candles, and brew tea.

This isn't just marketing — it's an immersive journey that transforms passive viewers into active participants. And in doing so, it deepens the emotional connection between the audience and the brand.

Archrival: The Future of Value-Driven Marketing

Ben Harms, chief growth officer at youth culture marketing agency Archrival, offered a compelling perspective on what's next. "The brands that are going to win over the next 10 years are the ones that understand how to truly add value into consumers' lives," he said.

This isn't about just pushing products or selling services — it's about crafting experiences that matter. Harms emphasized that today's marketing is less about attention and more about meaningful connection.

AMC: Inclusivity in Fan Engagement

Kim Granito, chief marketing officer for AMC Global Media, added another crucial layer to this narrative. She spoke about how the brand recognizes that fandom comes in many forms. "There are fans of 'The Walking Dead' has been around for 15 years. There are people that show up for every single spinoff series, but don't necessarily post about it or do things," Granito explained.

"The passion and love that they have for that IP is the same. It's expressed differently. So I think it's our job as marketers to create as broad a pathway and is layered, choose-your-own-adventure journey for them to make it their own."

The Cultural Shift at Play

What we're witnessing isn't just a change in marketing tactics — it's a fundamental shift in how culture and commerce intersect. Brands that succeed in this new environment are those that understand the emotional lives of their audiences.

They recognize that fans aren't just customers — they're collaborators, creators, and storytellers who want to be part of something bigger. And when brands give them the tools to do so, magic happens. It's not about controlling the narrative anymore; it's about curating an ecosystem where stories can flourish.

So, what's next? As AI becomes more sophisticated and social platforms evolve, we'll see even more personalized experiences — but always rooted in authenticity. The brands that thrive will be those that listen, adapt, and most importantly, give their fans a voice in the story they're telling.