# Building Fandoms Needs a Different Playbook

> Marketers shift from consumers to fans, creating new engagement models.
- Title: Building Fandoms Needs a Different Playbook · Adweek
- Summary: Marketers shift from consumers to fans, creating new engagement models. Brands are moving from transactional relationships to fandom-driven marketing by…
- Keywords: mattel, roberto stanichi, brandweek, barbie, un o social clubs, bbc studios, bluey, mcdonalds, morgan flatley, gap, pam kaufman, Building
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/creativity/adweek-creativity-advantage-building-fandoms-needs-a-different-playbook
- Author: Brittaney Kiefer
- Published: 2026-10-05T10:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: mattel, roberto stanichi, brandweek, barbie, un o social clubs, bbc studios, bluey, mcdonalds, morgan flatley, gap, pam kaufman
## Mattel's consumer shift
Mattel's president, chief marketing and brand officer Roberto Stanichi called 'consumer' a 'dirty word' versus fans who co-create and engage with brands.

> ‘Consumer’ indicates that you have a transactional relationship with people that are buying something, versus fans who really want to join a brand, participate, co-create, and engage as ambassadors of your brand
## Fandom-first marketing rise
Marketers are building fandoms instead of reaching shoppers, operating like entertainment companies to engage and entertain first.
## Mattel's fandom initiatives
Mattel launched the 2023 Barbie movie, UNO Social Clubs, and a BBC Studios partnership for Bluey across five major brands.
## McDonald's fan focus
McDonald's global chief marketing officer Morgan Flatley said fans are the foundation of their new marketing model, amplifying campaigns through trusted voices.

> Fans are the foundation of our new marketing model
## Gap's entertainment push
Gap's chief entertainment officer Pam Kaufman launched a partnership with boy band Just Your Type for a docuseries, mall tour, capsule collection, and social content.
## Crocs' fan focus
Crocs chief brand officer Terence Reilly called 2027 the 'Year of the Fan' as they prepare to meet digitally native consumers with unordinary storytelling.

> Crocs must tell stories in the most wonderfully unordinary ways in unordinary places
## Long-term team changes
Brands will need to recruit talent from journalism, production, and content creation to build fandoms, requiring organizational and process shifts.
## Key takeaway

Brands are moving from transactional relationships to fandom-driven marketing by co-creating content and operating like entertainment studios.