Some 91% of 18- to 25-year-olds say “mainstream” pop culture no longer exists, according to Ogilvy’s Fandom Flux report. Instead, culture is driven by consumers constructing their identities around their interests that matter most to them, including fashion, film, sports, and music.

“For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, fandom is a way to explore themselves, to connect with other people, to find belonging,” said Reid Litman, global consulting director at Ogilvy.

The rise of shared creation

Fandom communities are scattered across platforms like TikTok, Discord, Roblox, Substack, and AO3, making it harder for marketers to effectively target the right consumers.

“One size does not fit all for these platforms,” said Litman, emphasizing that marketers need to understand the unique role and audience of each one to show up effectively.

• For example, Tumblr has long been a place for users to share custom GIF sets and fan theories.
• Users prioritize authenticity over aesthetics, so if a brand showed up with a “hyper-polished video ad, it would probably go down horribly,” said Litman.

What these platforms do have in common is that they allow users to actively participate in fandom culture.

• 64% of Gen Zers identify as video content creators, showing they don’t approach culture as an audience anymore, according to the report.
• “It’s so much less about the tech or the platform, and it’s more about this insatiable desire to champion and co-create along with the artists that they really care about,” said Litman.

This call for co-creation will only grow as AI accelerates fan creativity.

“Hollywood-level tools are speeding up the number of people who feel comfortable creating,” said Litman. “They’re also a reflection or an outcome of Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s deep desire to sort of be creators and show off their individual expression on the other side of things for brands.”

• Disney is leading this shift, announcing plans to explore ways for fans to use AI to create their own content with Disney’s IP.
• “This has massive brand implications in terms of engaging with young people, but also business model implications in terms of monetizing IP,” said Litman.

Where fandom leads, commerce follows

Three-quarters of young fans are more likely to consider purchasing from a brand that sponsors or creates content tied to their fandom, per the Ogilvy report. In addition, 83% say they know their engagement shapes how brands and creators develop content.

This dynamic is already playing out:

• Levi’s surged in cultural relevance after Beyoncé name-dropped the brand on her "Cowboy Carter" album, momentum the company amplified with its subsequent “Reimagine” campaign. Fan energy translated into a 20% stock boost and increased store traffic, per Ogilvy's report.
• Maybelline treated Roblox as an experience, not an ad placement, weaving itself into the gameplay and driving 25 million virtual try-ons.
• At the Yes, Chef! Food Festival, Coca-Cola embraced the role of enabler rather than centerpiece, giving creators the space to shape the moment and the demand that followed.

But to engage effectively with fandoms, marketers need cultural fluency and a flexible approach to brand governance.

• Many brands stumble in fandom spaces because they show up with a control-first mindset.
• “You don’t get to control the narrative anymore, you get to contribute to it,” said Litman.
• If leaders cling to strict guidelines or top-down messaging, they’ll get outpaced by the communities they’re trying to reach.

A playbook for the fandom era

If fandom is now a core driver of youth behavior, marketers must adjust how their organizations create, collaborate, and engage.

1. Build capabilities for co-creation, not just content production. Your brand needs systems that allow fans to shape drops, designs, narratives, and experiences.

2. Treat fandoms as segmented, emotional markets. Not all fan communities welcome brands. Some are chaotic, some are protective, and some are remix-friendly. Entering them requires the same strategic rigor as entering a new geographic market.

3. Think of retail and IRL as extensions of fandom. Gen Zers crave connection, and their fandoms go wherever they do. Whether it’s Savage X Fenty turning stores into stages or creators anchoring in-person events, physical spaces can speed up cultural momentum.

4. Pilot AI-enabled co-creation early. Brands must explore safe, rights-respecting ways to let fans reimagine assets without losing legal control or cultural momentum.