“Brandom” and “Fandom”. Maybe they’re not necessarily words, but they are definitely ideas that so many people, companies and organizations are buying into. The 21st Century has thus far proven that the old model for Marketing and Brand Development is evolving into something a lot more interactive, more social and much more engaging. People that are “fans” of something these days are not sitting idly by as businesses tell them what to consume (at least not consciously). They want to be involved in parts of the process of developing and consuming something, having exclusive access that they did not have before. And this point is illustrated beautifully in a new 30-minute short film entitled  “FanCulture: The Evolution of Influence”.

Created by British-based Amplify, an agency that specializes in “brand strategy, experiences and amplification” the documentary looks to delve deeply into what makes a fan and a brand these days. I wanted to share the whole thing, but you guys will just have to peep the trailer below:

Of course, the ideas of being a fan of a brand reaches far beyond music, but it’s also perfect for it. With so much in the way of social media, social networking, technological advances, and advances in business, marketing, PR and communication, it’s only natural that musicians and artists would try to use the idea to their advantage to gain more and better fans. It’s almost as if an artist would HAVE to be involved in these practices if they want to stay relevant, because one way we can look at it is that same artist or musician having their fans, supporters and followers do some of their work for them. But in another sense, it’s an opportunity to connect with your supporting community as a musician or artist that’s trying to make it in an evolving music economy.

These days, it’s basically all about who and what you can get to spread your message most easily, but also most effectively. Maybe music artists of all genres would do well to take a page from this new documentary. If you’d like to check out the piece in its entirety, visit the Amplify website. And be sure to check out the Hypebot article on this documentary, as well.