A new study published yesterday by SuperAwesome highlights that brand owners need to do more than simply understand where their audiences spend their time if they want to create successful business opportunities in the marketplace. 

The London-based software developer interviewed more than 3,700 kids and parents across the US, the UK and Germany to inform its Fandoms & Passions: The Antidotes to Hyper-Fragmented Youth Audiences report, which outlines how Gen Alpha and Gen Z audiences engage with brands in their daily lives.

The data shows that 74% of these groups feel more connected to brands that share their fandoms and passions—a connection that reflects one of the key ways kids and teens express their values. The study also notes that it’s important to differentiate the two terms: Passions are hobbies or interests that bring joy and fulfillment (for example, gaming, sports and music); and fandoms are communities built around a specific canon of content (Marvel, Taylor Swift, etc.). 

The majority of kids and teens surveyed say they engage with their favorite fandoms (60%) and passions (64%) at least once a day, but the methods they use for each are different. When focusing on their passions, they prefer to watch shorts (58%), longer-form videos (43%), TV shows (40%) and livestreams (34%). Meanwhile, fandom engagement methods range from watching videos (47%), talking to friends (40%) and family (38%), following an IP on social media (23%), and playing games or related apps (22%).

According to the report, kids’ passions are defined between the ages of six and 11. But they can change or adopt more fandoms as they enter new developmental stages throughout their lives. On average, children will have four passions at any given time, compared to two fandoms they engage with daily. Brand experimentation peaks during the tween years, which is a pivotal time for licensors to turn audience members into lifelong fans before they lock in their loyalties (typically by the age of 16). 

While not every brand has the potential to create a fandom, SuperAwesome notes that 73% of the kids and teens it surveyed say they feel more positive about brands that collaborate with something/someone they’re already a fan of because it means there’s an alignment with their values. Licensors can extend their reach and engagement by leveraging other existing fandoms in things like co-branded products, cross-promotions, themed events and influencer partnerships.