As marketers, we need to re-evaluate how we understand our audiences. Learn why demographics are outdated and how fandom can transform your brand strategy.Jodie Fullagar, Co-founder and Co-CEO at @rundeep, joins us to break down why traditional audience segmentation no longer works and how brands can unlock the commercial power of fan culture. If you're rethinking how your brand connects with its audience, this discussion provides the framework to shift from broadcasting to passive audiences toward deeply engaging with active fans.We analyze the five core principles of building a fan-first strategy and how brands of any size can apply them. Jodie shares her perspective on why fan culture isn't a tactic but a business model, helping you understand how to unlock real commercial value from your most passionate customers. By the end of this conversation, you will have a clearer framework for building fandom into your brand strategy.This is essential viewing for anyone navigating brand strategy, audience segmentation, or looking to make their marketing more culturally relevant. Whether you're at a global brand or a small business with no budget, understanding these dynamics is crucial for staying relevant.Subscribe for weekly marketing leadership breakdowns, and comment below: what's a fandom you didn't expect to find yourself in?00:00 — Welcome04:06 — Introducing Jodie, Co-founder of Run Deep10:48 — Why demographics are outdated16:56 — The commercial case for fandom21:06 — Who counts as a fan (more than you think)27:56 — The five principles of fan culture41:03 — Why long-term commitment matters44:57 — Fandom on a small or no budget49:00 — Getting agencies to segment by culture52:57 — Measuring fan-led campaignsIf you enjoyed this, please like and subscribe - it genuinely helps us reach more marketers like you.Join 35,000+ marketers getting our weekly newsletter (it's free): https://themarketingmeetup.com/newsletterListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-meetup-podcast/id1365546447Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QvmFdxg5pMwsfPkKjhXl9The Marketing Meetup thrives for many reasons, but one of the crucial reasons we're able to do what we do is because we have the support of some incredible individuals from some equally inspiring companies. Below is the list of our partners in crime: our amigos. All we have to say is a big, massive, thank you.Cambridge Marketing College + Frontify + Planable + Mailchimp + Wistia + Prismic + Canva