The news: Fandom is driving brand growth, according to an Advertising Week New York panel presented by Spotify emphasizing the audio platform’s role in reaching engaged fans dedicated to their favorite artists.

Among the key insights:

• Jenny Haggard, head of global thought leadership at Spotify, described how the platform has become the “home of fandom and culture,” a space where fans choose to participate, connect, and invest in the artists they love—thereby creating opportunities for advertisers to reach audiences that drive performance.
• Allegra Krishnan, chief loyalty and engagement officer at McDonald’s, highlighted the company’s fandom push through efforts like its limited-time meal agreement with “A Minecraft Movie.” Krishnan emphasized that the effort succeeded because it was co-created with the franchise—showing that authentic partnerships require building together to understand the fandom, not just sponsoring.
• Tracy-Ann Lim, chief media officer of JPMorgan Chase, outlined the need for more than one-off sponsorships to drive success. Long-term involvement will show fans that brands are equally passionate about fandom content, giving brands credibility—such as JPMorgan Chase’s 44-year sponsorship of the US Open.

Fandom proves its power: Fandoms represent key audiences for brands for several reasons.

• Passionate fan communities offer a unique opportunity for brands to connect with some of the most engaged, loyal audiences available—and audiences respond positively to brands who engage in communities (79% of adults) and contribute (70%).
• Advertisers can target messages more effectively by tapping into fandoms who are more likely to engage with related content—something that has proven effective for segments like sports fandoms.
• Audiences’ deep investment can drive them to spend money and take action to support the things they love—representing a key revenue opportunity for brands.
• Younger fans are highly engaged, offering brands a key growth opportunity. Among 18–34-year-olds, 73% say fandom is a positive part of life, and 64% are more likely to buy from sponsors of what they love, per Ipsos.per Ipsos.

What brands can do: Tap into fandoms that align naturally with brand offerings, key audiences, and ad strategies. Creating content targeting these groups, while keeping in mind the need for co-creation and long-term partnerships, will drive more success compared with standard ad strategies that target a generic audience who will be less likely to connect with brand messaging that isn’t tailored to their interests.