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ENTERTAINMENT MARKETERS SHARE STRATEGIES FOR CREATORS, FANDOMS, AND GEN Z

TLDR ~40 SECONDS⚡️

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CreatorVersed Team
April 25, 2025

LATEST DEVELOPMENT

At Variety's Entertainment Marketing Summit, top executives across film, television, gaming, and fashion industries shared insights on navigating the evolving landscape of entertainment marketing, with particular focus on harnessing fan communities, engaging with the creator economy, and effectively reaching Gen Z consumers.

INDUSTRY TALK

"We don't need to, I don't think, hypothesize about what they're going to be. They need to help us in this room identify how to reach their generation and beyond. And so it's really on us to bring them in and not to try to overanalyze."

-Monica Austin, Blizzard Entertainment's Chief Marketing Officer

BY THE NUMBERS

Key insights include:

  • 80% of BravoCon attendees reported it was "the best weekend of their lives"

  • Multiple major brands including State Farm and Wayfair partnering with Bravo properties

  • Thousands of Coachella attendees changing outfits based on K-pop group ENHYPEN's Pinterest board

  • Billions in revenue potential when fandoms are properly activated (e.g., Taylor Swift's Eras Tour)

  • Numerous non-demographic factors now driving consumer engagement and brand loyalty

MARKETING STRATEGIES

Leading approaches include:

  • Shifting away from demographic-focused to psychographic-focused consumer targeting

  • Incorporating Gen Z voices directly into marketing teams and decision-making

  • Leveraging gaming creators who now exercise significant control over their careers and audiences

  • Creating multi-platform strategies that blend social media, experiential marketing, and traditional channels

  • Building marketing strategies around cultural moments rather than traditional advertising cycles

CREATOR DYNAMICS

Evolution trends include:

  • Creators exercising more selectivity in brand partnerships due to increased earning options

  • Gaming creators particularly gaining influence beyond their platforms

  • Pinterest's success with creator partnerships driving real-world behavior change

  • Music collaboration strategies helping ESPN reach younger audiences

  • Fan communities driving franchise extensions for films like "28 Years Later"

THE BOTTOM LINE

As influencer marketing commands larger portions of brand budgets, the most successful agencies are differentiating themselves through specialized niche expertise, creator development programs, and community-building initiatives—moving beyond transaction-based relationships to become strategic partners that understand both brand objectives and creator career aspirations.

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