Most brands know how to build loyalty. Fewer know how to build fandom — and that’s where they fall short.
Loyalty is structured. Predictable. A well-oiled loop: customers spend more, get more and come back. It’s measurable. It lives in dashboards. And it’s almost entirely under the brand’s control. Fandom isn’t.
Fandom is irrational, emotional and messy. It’s the reason sneakerheads camp overnight. It’s why Swifties dissect lyrics like CIA analysts, and people still passionately debate The Phantom Menace decades later. Fans don’t show up because of perks — they show up because they care.
Here’s where brands get it wrong: they treat loyalty and fandom like they’re the same thing — like a “loyal customer” and a “fan” are interchangeable. They’re not. Loyalty is owned by the brand. Fandom is owned by the people. Loyalty is about efficiency. Fandom is about energy. One is engineered; the other is earned.
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When you confuse the two, you risk optimizing for convenience instead of connection. And that’s when you lose the very people you’re trying hardest to keep.
What Fandom Really Looks Like
Fandom doesn’t form around a product. It forms around the feeling that product creates. The anticipation. The story. The identity it signals. The moment it represents.
Great brands understand this, and they build for it. They aren’t just selling stuff — they’re selling meaning. New Balance doesn’t just launch shoes; they embed themselves in culture through thoughtful partnerships and storytelling. Rolex isn’t about luxury for luxury’s sake — it’s about legacy and craftsmanship. Streetwear and collectible brands? They thrive because they give people something to rally around, to obsess over, and to remember.
These brands don’t dictate fandom. They create the space for it to exist. Because people don’t just want to buy — they want to belong.
You Can’t Force Fandom, but You Can Fuel it
Fandom isn’t something you can create in a meeting. It’s something you’re invited into. And while you can’t control it, you can shape the conditions that allow it to thrive.
At the heart of fandom is experience. Not just the drop or the win, not even just the anticipation — though anticipation plays a powerful role. What really matters is the entire arc, from the earliest tease to the long-tail conversations after the product lands in someone’s hands. Fandom is built across that whole journey. The story. The speculation. The emotion. The feeling of I was there when this happened. It’s not just about what people get. It’s about what they feel.
Some of the most resonant launches weren’t the biggest names — they were the ones that felt the most intentional. Where fans were given something to talk about, to hope for and to connect over.
One of our sneaker partners once closed a raffle on a Friday and waited until Monday to announce winners. That small window — just a couple of days — turned into a three-day period of high energy. Fans checked their inboxes every morning, hoping that today was the day. That kind of sustained attention? You can’t fake it. But you can build for it.
How to Engineer Energy (Not Just Sales)
If you want more than repeat purchases, you need to offer more than a product. You need to offer a moment. Here’s how the best brands are doing it:
1. Stretch the runway: Start building anticipation early. Drop hints. Leak content. Let them guess about how it will happen. Let fans imagine and speculate — because the buildup is part of the experience.
2. Shape the aftermath: Don’t go dark after the launch. Share reactions. Create behind-the-scenes content. Consider UGC. Keep the story going even after the product sells out.
3. Reward the loss: Not everyone will win. That doesn’t mean the connection should end. Offer something special for the people who didn’t get selected — an exclusive offer, early access to the next drop or even just a thank you that feels genuine.
4. Protect the experience: Nothing kills fandom faster than bots and bad actors. If people believe the game is rigged, they’ll stop playing. Launches need to be fair, and fans need to feel respected.
The Bottom Line
Loyalty is what happens when you meet expectations. Fandom is what happens when you move people. Loyalty can be earned with convenience, consistency, and incentives. Fandom is earned through meaning, community, and emotion.
One is measured in LTV. The other? In stories and community. Some of which you’ll never see, and that’s ok.
The next time someone wants to talk about loyalty strategy, challenge them on fandom — even if you can’t fully measure it. Because while loyal customers may come back, fans? Fans will follow you anywhere.
Mitch Holder is the CMO at EQL, where he helps global brands like Nike, Crocs and LVMH build deeper relationships with their fans. For over 15 years, he’s worked at the intersection of culture, tech and entertainment — leading marketing at the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobalt Music, shaping campaigns at Ogilvy and scaling startups. Now based in Salt Lake City, Holder brings that experience to EQL, helping brands turn product launches into lasting fandom.
