 
June 16, 2022 | Authored By
We all have things we love. Maybe it’s a movie franchise or a sports team that’s won over our hearts and we share with our kids, a new series we binge or a local restaurant we turn to every week, a news outlet we learn from or a skincare product that’s a core part of our daily routine. These aren’t just things we follow, but they’ve become woven into our lives and identities that we say: Oh, I’m a ______ fan.
No matter where you look, NBCUniversal’s audiences are more than just viewers — they’re fans. And across all of our properties, our fans are connecting with stories, characters, and talent they love. They bring an insatiable intensity to viewing, that fuels our creativity and our creation. Our fans hang on to every word and watch every episode. While a viewer might tune into a random cooking program, an NBCUniversal fan watches Bravo’s Top Chef, follows Padma Lakshmi on Twitter, and learns how to cook beef wellington.
That’s exactly why we’ve built a unified tech enabled advertising platform so marketers can leverage all of those connections as well as ensure their investments go farther and work even harder. Now with more insights across our platform, it’s clear: Fandom goes beyond liking a show; it evolves into a relationship, filled with anticipation, dedication, even expectations. It summons the kind of devotion brands want to cultivate.
So as the industry’s top marketers gather at Cannes Lions next week, we want to know: are you tapping into #TheFandomFactor? And do you know how to transform true fandom relationships into meaningful ROI?
Turning Viewers into Fans
Fan relationships are defined by a few key components: identity, self-care, human connection, and trust.
The first is identity. Our content helps fans understand themselves and their place in the world. Then, there’s self-care. Through the uncertainties of daily life, fans turn to our shows for information, familiarity, and comfort. Finally, fandom fosters human connection. Fans tend to bond with others over their new favorite series. In short, fandom helps audiences stay in touch with themselves and the communities they care about.
Of course, underpinning every fan relationship is trust. From waking up with TODAY, to catching up with our favorite Bravolebrities, to binge-watching Peacock’s Bel-Air, to cheering for the world’s biggest sporting events, to capping off the night with SNL, NBCU’s fans trust us to provide them with unforgettable content.
Proving and Improving Engagement
The same passion that fans feel for content can extend to brands, too. In fact, we’ve recently proved that strong emotional engagement drives 80 percent of their brand preference considerations. And at NBCU, emotional engagement is our specialty.
The love viewers feel for our media brands is 19% greater than the competition. Meanwhile, our IP increases fans’ emotional engagement by 25 percent compared to the rest of the landscape. And through rigorous biometric research, we’ve found our fans feel that our commercial time is 93 percent as engaging as our content itself.
These numbers all add up to one clear impact: a stronger bottom line. By tapping into our unique combination of content, technology, and partnerships, businesses of any size can transform our fans into customers. And when fans are just as invested in your brand, your brand is sure to see a return on investment.
#TheFandomFactor in Cannes Lions
So, whether you’re looking to connect with passionate audiences, or build a life-long relationship with loyal customers, you need to meet fans where they are—starting in Cannes.
Next week, our teams will bring #TheFandomFactor to Cannes Lions. We’ll be showcasing new opportunities for advertisers to engage with fans across social, gaming, CTV, the metaverse, and, of course, in-person events like our legendary BravoCon. Together, we can meet fans where they are, speak their language, and build these relationships side by side.
As a media, entertainment, and technology company, we understand we must keep taking our capabilities and — more importantly — content to the next level. By continually evolving our most adored stories, talent, and characters, we can engage and inspire the next generation of our fans, and your customers.
But to truly tap into the full potential of #TheFandomFactor, we must build even stronger relationships—and that starts with stronger partnerships. Join us, and see what all the fandom’s about.
