In a bold move celebrating its 20th anniversary, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment is redefining the landscape of passion marketing with the launch of “Fancom.” The agency, renowned for pioneering connections between brands and consumer passions, unveils a fresh approach to engaging audiences. Over two decades, M&C Saatchi has seamlessly fused sport, entertainment, and culture, establishing itself as a leader in transforming passions into powerful marketing opportunities. Managing Director Laura Coller reflects on this journey, emphasizing the agency’s innovative spirit and its commitment to evolving consumer engagement strategies.
Their latest research highlights a compelling shift: audiences are abandoning traditional fandom in favor of more diverse, intersectional communities known as Fancom. With 63% of respondents reporting that passions facilitate real-life connections, the focus for marketers has shifted to not just connecting brands to audiences but fostering connections among fans themselves. Analyzing data from over 2,000 participants, the study revealed that individuals hold an average of 4.1 passions, with a quarter having seven or more. This diversity presents brands with multiple touchpoints to create meaningful, authentic engagement.
Passion Pulse, the agency’s newly launched strategic offer, underscores this transformation. Neil Hopkins, Strategy Partner, describes it as a tool enabling brands to make informed decisions rooted in both emotional and analytical insights. With the rise of atomized subcultures, Fancom represents a departure from traditional notions of fandom, where homogeneity and singular attitudes dominated. Instead, Fancom celebrates unique, coalescing communities where brands can play a central role.
Coller envisions Fancom as both an audience behavior and a framework for building deeper, more concentric relationships between brands and their audiences. The Passion Pulse team integrates cutting-edge AI technology, proprietary data systems, and human expertise to go beyond surface-level insights. Ant Firth-Clark, Senior Strategist, explains this approach as a way to decipher not only what fans say they do but also how they truly behave, organize, and interact around their passions.
As a cornerstone of this milestone year, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment has published a report, “Fandom Is Dead. Welcome to Fancom,” authored by the Passion Pulse team. The report delves into the nuances of Fancom across different passion domains and offers a roadmap for brands to navigate this emerging landscape. By rethinking the future of passion marketing, the agency positions itself at the forefront of a paradigm shift that bridges emotional depth and strategic precision in a world where fans are as borderless and discerning as ever.