Two experts, a behavioral scientist and a fandom strategist, discuss why our niche obsessions are the most human thing about us, and why most brands get fandom badly wrong.
“When you are young you can get bullied for the niche things you are into, but really they are the most beautiful parts of ourselves,” Dan Bennett tells an audience at The Subthread’s recent Community Evening on cultural strategy.
“They’re the parts that when you actually show them to other people they actually connect with you.”
The global head of behavioral science at Ogilvy Consulting spoke with fandom strategist Calvin Innes, who runs The Forge, on the subject of niche cultures.
We’ve become used to sharing everything online, but now people are finding enjoyment of experiences without an audience. Annie Harte explores the resurgence of analogue culture and what it could teach brands about creating spaces not just for performance.
Annie Harte
Every leader in The Subthread’s Uncut series, which features agency leaders from across various disciplines, had something to say about AI. What’s striking is how little they agree. Three of them – Rosh Singh, Nomi Leasure and Emily Rickard – map the real risk in three completely different places.
Alex Zeevalkink
Designers used to spend hours turning creative ideas into print-ready files. Juliet Faldin has started handing much of that work to AI. She shares how she’s using the technology to take the grind out of print production and put more time back into the thinking.
Juliet Faldin
Leaders used to build their careers by becoming experts in one thing. Now, they need to understand how different kinds of expertise work together as AI reshapes every part of an organization. Anne Stagg shares her view on why connected thinking is becoming one of the defining skills of leadership.
Anne Stagg
