Fan Clubs - OUT / Digital Fanatics - IN

The relationship between idol/star and fan has seen recent and profound change. In the past, the relationship between idol and fan was well defined - there were 'Fan Clubs', where annual dues were required and a kit given with photos, a club card, etc.  The Club had a President and other officers and annual get-togethers held where T's, albums, and possibly the idol would make a quick and fleeting appearance.  Club members tried, but failed to keep tabs on their idol's comings and goings and usually only saw them at a distance at a concert or red carpet event.

This has all changed! Snail mail and pre-signed photos are so far out they are not even considered a remote possibly in today's Fan world.  Now, it's all about real-time access - fans know where and what their God had for lunch, were and when they will or can be seen and the selfie with idol has become the 'membership card' of today's fanatic.  Fan armies assemble on-line and insist on direct contact with their idol, and the stars must play this game, for the more traction they have on social media - the more fans they have and the more popular they get, the more endorsements, the more fame.

But there is downside. Stars complain that their fan base is too old or too young. Fans are too gay, or too female or too ugly. Sometimes they are seen as too intense or too annoying.  Would idols choose to spend and evening with their fans? NO. Do they want their fans to believe they would? YES.

Swift w/fans giving selfies

Interviewed by the Wall Street Journal last month, Taylor Swift said it best when she noted that autographs have become obsolete. "I haven't been asked for an autograph since the invention of the iPhone with a front-facing camera.  The only memento fans want these days is a selfie.  It's part of the new currency, which seems to be 'how many followers you have in Instagram'."

Nowhere can the change in the relationship between idol and fan so seen more vivid then in the recent surge of meet-and-greets, usually held before a concert and bundled with a pricey VIP ticket. It is no longer necessary to wait with the masses for a glimpse as the 'star' quickly races by.  No, no. Today, you can book an appointment to meet your 'God', in the time it would take to make an appointment to have your car serviced - and would probably be cheaper and include a buffet.  Unthinkable just a few years ago, today's fan can rub elbows with their Gods.  Even Beyonce' offers these 'fan' rendezvous and they are only a three figure credit card charge away. Fan expectations and demands have grown enormously.

Stars today, must hire digital agencies to pretend to be them or to create a personality where there isn't one. Today, the illusion of intimacy is a must, but social media has replaced the 'signed' photo. Fans have more power today and more control over their idols - pushing them to act and adjust to the 'new' Fandom world.  Fan power has shifted from the artist to the fan. It is the fan that must be catered to. It's the fans that have the disposal income to buy inflated concert tickets, iTunes, and watch videos with embedded pre-sold ads (the higher the play count the more the idol can charge for the ads).

The idol/fan relationship is now completely intertwined. Fans can not be ignored. Idols must placate to their minions and fans can get ever closer to their God, but for a price.

Best
Jim