What the Future: Fandom

“Fandom is where I live,” said a teenage What the Future reader. That’s likely not an exaggeration. Fans binge the shows and books themselves and immerse in the fan fiction and related Discord channels and livestreams.

This is good news for brands, because younger consumers are notoriously hard to reach and younger fans are more than twice as likely to say they are more likely to buy products or services from sponsors of things they are fans of.

What the Future: Fandom dives into how fans and their communities are evolving as powerful cultural arteries and the questions they create for businesses.

Listen in as Editor Matt Carmichael guides attendees through our expert interviews and fresh data on the shifting attitudes and expectations of fans across demographics. You’ll get powerful insights on how to support fans’ passions and win their loyalty to your brand. Learn strategies for engaging digital fan communities and building and reaching new audiences through sponsorships of livestreamers and emerging sports and athletes. Our expert panel includes:

• Rachel Delphin, chief marketing officer, Twitch
• Alana Casner, senior vice president, athlete relations and business development, Parity
• Tom Farrey, executive director, Sports and Society Program, Aspen Institute
• Ann Legan, global vice president of marketing, Miller family of brands at Molson Coors Beverage Company
• Nick Kelly, vice president, partnerships, Verizon
• Nadine Zylstra, global head of programming and originals, Pinterest
• Kelsey Barnes, swiftie