With more traditional film marketing and advertising strategies having undergone a significant overhaul to adapt to modern audiences, now more than ever, brands are tapping into the power of fandoms – swathes of loyal and passionate fans that attach themselves to a particular franchise or sector of cinema.

The ever-growing phenomenon of movie fandom is truly engrained into modern day society, with their influence defining trends in modern cinema and even influencing global cultural moments. 

For marketers, success now lies in the hands of movie enthusiasts, with fandoms a vital part of the marketing puzzle around new releases, whether its a blockbuster or indie. But in a polarising media ecosystem, how do fandoms create a positive environment for brands to score attention and awareness among the masses?

The power of fandoms

Last year, despite the film industry still feeling the effects of the pandemic and Hollywood writers’ strike, UK cinema attendance hit a five-year peak, clocking in 126.5 million admissions across the year. Combining those impressive takings with the two thirds of UK households that subscribe to at least one home streaming service, consumer appetite for film content is now at an all-time high.

Thanks to the loyal and passionate nature of film fans, brands that have serviced the needs of fandom communities have seen huge success in developing authentic campaigns that cultivate deeper, more meaningful consumer relationships. The power of fandoms reaches far beyond the borderlines of strategy, among vastly positive communities that help shape narratives, drive sales, create trends, and most importantly, foster brand loyalty.

Fandoms going green for partnerships

A standout example from the past year is the ever popular Wicked, which hit cinemas in late November 2024 and became the highest-grossing film of the year at the UK and Ireland box office. Adapted from the beloved stage production, the first instalment of the movie was almost a guaranteed success for brands, tapping into a devoted ‘fandom’ spanning 20 years, alongside a new generation of soon-to-be fans, eager to engage. 

Acting on the influence that the juggernaut fantasy musical would have on both existing fans, plus those newcomers to the land of Oz, over 400 corporate brands partnered with Universal for the release in November 2024, spanning industries such as apparel, accessories, footwear, home décor, beauty, toys, publishing, and collectables.

For brands affiliating with the Wicked franchise, the success of recent activations saw huge reach across a wide range of audience demographics, all coming together over a shared love of the movie, whilst fostering a positive, authentic and meaningful connection with consumers. These vast fan communities also provide brands with a direct route into valuable conversations with audiences who feel emotionally connected to the franchise. The additional benefit will also see brands riding a further wave of success in November this year, with the second instalment of the movie released.

Personalising the marketing approach

Recent research has highlighted that over 80% of consumers seek brands that reflect their values, so for movie fans, fandoms offer them a community to interact with that provides a truer sense of belonging, connecting with like minded souls whilst fostering the joy and love of their chosen passion. In today’s divided media ecosystem that has seen movie marketers scrambling when strategies are turned on their heads due to global events, actor mishaps or popular trends that catch them by surprise, fandoms can mostly always be a sound route to success.

Fan built communities are powerful spaces where passionate and likeminded fans bond over shared interests in their favourite films, and this often unwaveringly loyal demographic can be relied on due to the positive connections between them. Fans will voice key opinions on affiliated brands that can influence next steps to success, and more often than not, see fans making as much financial investment in partnering brands as their budget allows.

Nods to nostalgia unlock brand success

Nine out of the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2024 were a ‘sequel’ or a continuation of an existing franchise, and brands acting accordingly when it came to activations to boost brand awareness with memorable film franchises. And sequels aren’t going anywhere in 2025 either, with a roster of franchises prepping the red carpets for the premieres of further continuations, brands will already be in negotiations for big activations to tap into fandoms spanning decades.

From one of the most nostalgic film franchises in history, to launch the home entertainment release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, our teams at Elevenfiftyfive brought the movie to life on London’s Southbank in a ‘roar-some’ partnership to raise awareness of the newest Jeep Wrangler. We installed a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex on one of the key walkways along the Thames, with the Jeep seen in film.

Thousands of passers-by were invited to climb inside the Jeep for a photo opp of themselves being chased by the 40-foot dinosaur, with the content shared via the Jurassic World social media channels. The campaign activation saw over three million engagements, and offered the films fandom an immersive, and most vitally, memorable experience. It also drove more engagement in a ‘surprise and delight’ method, tapping into new audiences outside of the fandom, plus driving widespread news coverage and word-of-mouth to encourage more visitors.

Brand awareness beyond the screen

A brand associated with a famous face also goes a long way, and alongside blockbuster calendar moments also come plentiful opportunities for brands to work with the stars of the movies, unlocking further awareness with authentic associations. For example, high-end names in fashion regularly leverage the opportunity to dress movie stars for red carpet appearances at premieres, major film festivals like Cannes, and global film awards like the BAFTAs and Oscars.

This positive association with celebrities snapped in their designs is somewhat ‘priceless’, but vitally, it paints the most authentic picture of the brand to both the movie franchise fandom and the celebrity’s own followers, offering a deeply personal and authentic demonstration of brand affiliation. This tried and tested method is still popular, driving sustained, substantial buzz and further media attention throughout the movie award season.

Fandom partnerships that last a lifetime

For marketers, navigating the fragmented audiences across movie fandoms may seem complex, but in fact, the route to success is highly accessible. The right expertise and industry connections, paired with memorable activations, offerings and experiences that tap deeper into the emotional connection that the fans have with their favourite films and movie stars.

For those loyal followers of any movie franchise, the realms of fandoms are built on the ongoing relationships between them. The success that many brands still see today from partnerships that began decades ago is somewhat telling of the loyalty that is still growing today with every new release. Partnerships go hand in hand with the movies, and a powerful multifaceted approach to fandoms is helping to transform partnerships into sustained brand loyalty, and unlocking meaningful and authentic engagement that will last a lifetime.