If you genuinely wish to understand someone, explore their fandoms and listen to their playlists.
A consumer’s passion for music serves as a reliable indicator of their tastes in various fandom realms, including gaming, cinema, television, sports, and fashion. This insight comes from a recent report released by Vevo, the music video network created through a partnership between Sony Music and Universal Music Group. Titled “Fandom = Cultural Currency,” this report is part of Vevo’s ongoing Media Tracker survey, which examines the relationship between music and consumer behavior.
Rob Christensen, Vevo’s executive VP of global sales, detailed the survey findings and demonstrated the significance of its audience to top brands during a Variety Strictly Business Spotlight interview, conducted in New York on October 8. In today’s fragmented media landscape, Vevo argues that a consumer’s musical favorites can reveal their other interests and fandoms.
“The key characteristic of a fan is that they’re not passive,” asserts Christensen. “No one engages with content more deeply than true fans. I consider myself a huge fan of both music and sports, and I often find myself lost in those obsessions. For brands, this presents an excellent opportunity for maximizing exposure without risking overexposure. Our fandom report illustrates that such engagement translates into action, investment, and the ability to influence consumer spending.”
Vevo’s report draws on a survey of 6,100 individuals across the U.S., the U.K., and Australia, along with the company’s own internal analytics. Having enhanced its online distribution efforts through fast channels and partnerships with connected TV manufacturers like Samsung and LG, Vevo—which launched in 2009—now boasts 22 billion monthly views and 1.5 billion hours of content watched.
“Music videos continue to play a significant role in shaping pop culture and cultural movements while reflecting the genuine passion artists have for their craft,” says Christensen. “For many fans, the connection to artists, pop culture, and fandom forms an essential part of their identity. We believe our content exemplifies this connection and consistently showcases pop cultural trends throughout the year, rivaling even the impact of sports.”
Additional findings from the survey include:
Music plays a vital role in connectivity. A significant 69% of participants agreed that “Music helps me feel connected to the world around me,” compared to 62% for sports, 57% for politics, and 55% for gaming.
Location influences fandom. Survey results show that consumers in Australia are 48% more inclined to be K-pop fans than those from other regions, attributed to Australia’s geographic closeness to East Asia.
The zeal of dedicated fans fuels pop culture. “More than a third of viewers will binge-watch their favorite artist’s content repeatedly, and over a quarter purchase that artist’s official merchandise, ranging from vinyl records and special edition CDs to makeup or clothing lines,” the report indicates.
There are strong correlations: 68% of respondents acknowledged a robust connection between music and films/TV shows, followed by fashion and clothing (51%) and sports (45%).
The report also aimed to assess the demand elasticity among superfans and their responsiveness to advertising. An impressive 69% of respondents agreed, “I am more likely to spend money with brands that engage with my favorite fandoms/fan communities,” while 64% expressed a favorable view of brands that have connections to musicians and the music industry.
Watch the complete discussion above.
