If you really want to know a person, figure out their fandoms. And check out their playlists.
A consumer’s fan affinity for music is a reliable guide to tastes in other areas of fandom, such as gaming, film and TV, sports and fashion. That’s one of the conclusions of a new report published by Vevo, the music video network that is a joint venture of Sony Music and Universal Music Group. “Fandom = Cultural Currency” is part of Vevo’s regular Media Tracker survey that gauges how music connects with consumers.
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Rob Christensen, executive VP of global sales for Vevo, highlighted the survey results and how Vevo is positioning the value of its audience to top brands in a Variety Strictly Business Spotlight interview presented by Vevo and conducted in New York on Oct. 8. In an era of fragmentation, the company’s pitch is that understanding a consumer’s fave raves in music are a good indicator of other passions and fandoms.
“The one thing that a fan isn’t is passive,” Christensen says. “So truly, nobody dives more deeply into engaging in content than true fans. I’m a big music fan, big sports fan, and you just find yourself in those rabbit holes constantly. And as a result, from a brand perspective, it’s a great mouse trap for maximizing brand exposure without over exposing yourself, frequency-wise. And part of the fandom report [is demonstrating that] we know that that fandom leads to action, and it leads to investing, and it leads to being able to affect the wallet of a consumer.”
Vevo’s report is based on a survey of 6,100 respondents in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia as well as the company’s internal data and analytics. Vevo, which has stepped up its online distribution efforts through fast channels and licensing, pacts with Samsung, LG and other connected TV manufacturers. The platform launched in 2009 now generates 22 billion views a month and 1.5 billion hours viewed per month.
“Music videos still are a massive driver of pop culture, cultural trends and truly exude the passion that artists have for their work,” Christensen says. “Most fans will say that artists and pop culture and fandom are a big part of their identity. For us, we look at our content set as exemplifying that and extending pop cultural trends every single day, throughout the entire year, truly rivaling that of sports.”
Among other data points from the survey:
Music is a great connector. More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents agreed with the statement “Music helps me feel connected to the world around me.”
Geography matters. Consumers in Australia are 48% more likely that those in other territories to be fans of K-pop, something the study chalks up to Australia’s proximity to East Asia.
The enthusiasm of hardcore fans drives pop culture. “Over a third of viewers will repeatedly binge their favorite artist’s content, and over a quarter end up purchasing that artist’s official merchandise, which includes everything from vinyl and deluxe edition CDs to an artist’s makeup or clothing line,” the report states.
One thing leads to another: Some 68% of respondents agreed that the connection between music and movies and TV is strong, followed by clothing and fashion (51%) and sports (45%).
The report sought to measure the elasticity of demand among superfans and how they’re influenced by advertising. Some 69% of survey respondents agreed with the statement, “I am more likely to spend money with brands who surround my favorite fandoms/fan communities” while 64% concurred with the idea that “I am more favorable towards brands that feel connected to musicians and the music industry.”
Watch the full conversation above.