How the Internet has made Fandom Culture Powerful - Medium

Fandom culture is deep, dark, scary yet beautiful and interesting. One is able to not only find certain like-minded people but also fans ... HolidayClosureDecemberCallforSubmissionsRecentUpdatesNov2021SubmitTop10StoriesGetfullMediumaccessHowtheInternethasmadeFandomCulturePowerfulJanyaSindhuFollowNov29,2019·8minreadAsapersonwhoconsidersherselfassomeone…let’ssayjustobsessedwithpopculture,eventhoughthat’sanunderstatement—Ihavefoundmyselfinthedeepinterwebsoffandomculture,manytimes.Fandomcultureisdeep,dark,scaryyetbeautifulandinteresting.Oneisabletonotonlyfindcertainlike-mindedpeoplebutalsofansthatareclearlyputtinginmoreeffortunderstandingthetheoriesbehindcertainfranchisesthantheyputintheirSATs.WhenwetrytogetourfriendsintoourfavouritefandomFandomswerenotbornwiththebirthofYouTubeorReddit.Thisisactuallyprettyinteresting.Solet’sgobacktothebirthofthenewspaper.Thefirstplatformthatcouldallowthesharingofopinionsandknowledgeonalargeanddominantscale,inthemid15thcentury.Inthemid19th,century‘Lisztomania’or‘Lisztfever’began.WomenbecomeextremelyobsessedwithacomposercalledFranzLiszt,soobsessedthattheyusedtothrowtheirunderwear(….weretheycalledpantaloonsatthattime?)anddoctorsactuallyconsideredthisamentalillness.Wouldn’tlie,thewaypeopleinvesttheirtimeinfandoms,itshouldbeconsideredsomekindofillness,let’sgetbacktothatlater.Thefirstfandom“power”,however,wasseenin1893withourfavouriteBritishdetective,SherlockHolmes.SirArthurConanDoylegrewtohatehischaracterbecauseitwashismostfamousworkandsodecidedtokilloffHolmesin“TheFinalProblem”.Fansgotsopissedoffthat20,000cancelledtheirsubscriptiontotheStrand,themagazinethatSherlockHolmeswaspublished.Theyevenwentsofaraswearingblackbandsinmourningandevenwroteobituariesinthenewspaper.Die-hardfansevenstartedtheirownstoriesaboutHolmes,whichprobablyisthefirstpublicfanfictionthatexists.AngrylettersweresenttoSirArthurConanDoylebecausehekilledoffHolmes.ThepressurewassointensethatHolmes’popularityamongfanslettotheResurrectionofHolmesin‘TheEmptyHouse’.Jumpingto1930s,FirstFandom,thereasonforthebirthofallthingsComicCons,wasstarted.Ithostedeventsandawards.ThefirstWorldConwasheldinNYCwith200peopleallreadytocometogetherasacollectivefandom.ThefirstCosplayatthefirstWorldconIn1966,oneofthebiggestsci-fifranchiseswasairedonTV,whichledtothemostcohesivefandomthathadbeenseenbythattime.TheuniverseofStarTrekallowedfanstocommunicatethroughfanletterswithnotjustcreatorsoftheshow,butalsoeachother,andwiththis,apowerfulcommunitycameintobeing.VariousconventionsforStarTrekwouldtakeplace,smallinnumberhoweverlargewithpassion!Itwassopowerful,thatwhentheshowwascancelledafterthesecondseason,aletter-writingcampaignwaslaunched.ThiswasthefirstcollectiveeffortofafandomthatactuallysavedaTVshowsothatitcouldgetanotherseason,eventhoughitwasterrible..AStarTrekConventionafterfanssavedtheshowSolookslike,fandomcultureexiststhankstotheBoomersandnottheMillennials!HA.Afterthis,intheearlynineties,120StarTrekconventionswouldtakeplaceandthereasonthateveryconventionwouldhaveaknockoutattendance,notbecauseitwasdrivenbymotiveslikeprofit-making,promotion,atleastatthattime.Itwaspossiblebecauseboththeorganisersandtheattendeeswouldjusthavepureloveforthefranchise.Andthatisthebasisofwhatfuelsfandomculture.ForMillenials,what’sthebiggestfanphenomenonyourememberaskids?Yes,itisthewizardryworldofHarryPotter.Asthesebooksstartedtohittheshelves,theinternetgrewandgrew.Withthewaytheinternetwasspreadingallovertheworld,fandomcultureintermsofHarryPotterstartedtospreadaswell.Itcrossedgeographicalborders,agesandevendifferentopinions.Frombookstomovies,communitiesstartedformingtogetaggressiveaboutwhatishappeningtothefutureofHarryPotter.Fore.g.theterribleinstalmentforFantasticBeasts;lookslikegoingforthesecondmoviewasanawfulidea,andfansmadesuretheywereheard.Butcustomerscomplainingabouttheservices/productstheyconsumeisabsolutelynormal.SoexactlywhatdoImeanwhenIsayfandomcultureisgettingpowerful—itmeansthatthey’renotjustcomplaining,theirvoicesarebeingheardbylargeentitiesthatarewillingtospendalotofmoneytogaintheirloveback.OneofthemostrecentfandomoutcrieswasseenafterthereleaseofthenewSonictheHedgehogmovie’strailer.Withallduerespecttotheanimators,thisoutcrywaswarranted.Thattrailer,thatversionofSonicwasjustdownrightCREEPY.Withsmalleyes,feweremotions,human-teeth,ourbelovedhedgehogwasSonicnomore.Thisledtoaninstantreactionfromhopefulfans,who’sheartwasclearlycrushedafterthetrailerHeadlinestakenfromTheGuardian,ForbesandTheVergeLuckyforus,thefilm’sdirector,JeffFowler,instantlyaddressedthisproblemonTwitterandannouncedthatthefilmwouldbedelayedinordertodosomereconstructionontheanimation.Whatdofandomslovethemost?Instantresponsetotheirpitchforkprotests,thattoowiththeirdemandsmet.JeffFowler,justafewdaysago,releasedanewtrailerwithSonicbroughtbacktoitsoriginalglory.Thestudioexecutives,animationstudiosandcrewcompletelyunderstandhowthebusinessworks—CustomerisKing.AndiftheKinghatesyourtrailer,youbetterspend$5Milliontofixthat,whichisthecaseoftheupcomingSonictheHedgehogMovie.BeforeandAftertheredesignofthemovieThisisnottheonlycasewherefanshavebeenabletogettheirway.WhilelookingatTVshows,weseeHowIMetYourMotherasthewinnerofthemostterribleseriesfinaleever!Imean,it’ssoterriblepeoplestilltalkaboutit.Nobodywantstheirshowtoberememberedastheshowwiththecrapfinale,whichispreciselywhytheshow’salternateendinghadtobeleakedforthepitchforkfandomprotesttoend.RememberhowStarTrekwasabletoberevivedthankstotheletter-campaigninthe1970s?Now,withsiteslikechange.organdsocialmedia,nobodyneedsalettercampaignanymorebutthathasn’tdilutedthepowerofit.Once,Foxcancelledthe“toit”copcomedyshow,fansreactedwithapetitiontobringbacktheshowthroughchange.org.Theyevenmadesure#SaveBrooklyn99wastrendingonTwitter.Iwon’tlie,IreactivatedmyTwitterjustsothatIcanmakesureIdidmypartforoneofmyfavouriteshows.Seeingtheimmenseamountoflovethatpeopleactuallyhadasacommunityforthisshow,NBCdecidedtopickuptheshowandnowit’sbeenrenewedforanotherseasonwithouttheairingofthenewseason.Imeancomeon,thepoweroffandomright?!Well,Iwouldsaythepowerfandomsholdisstrong,canbeextremelypositive,butwhenit’snegativeitisseenasthisconceptcalled,“FanEntitlement”.WeallknowthatGameofThroneshasbeenthemodern-day“epic”ifyoucansay.Peoplehavewaiteddayandnightfornewepisodestocome,togettotheendofthenextcliffhangerandonce&forallunderstandwhatthehelldothoseWhitewalkerswant?!?!Well,theygotthoseanswersinseason8….sortof.Fansfelttheyhadbeenrobbedfromhavingtheendingtheydeservedandthattheyfeltgavejusticetotheshow;theendingtheywereENTITLEDto.Thislaunchedoneofthebiggestpitchforkprotestsbyfandominthe21stcentury.Someonestartedanotheronlinepetitionthatgarnered1.8millionsignatures(andcounting)forrewritingtheentireseason.TherewasanotherpetitiontogettheshowrunnersDavidBenioffandD.B.WeissofftheStarWarsprojecttheyhadsignedonfor(Thankgodthattheythemselveslefttheproject).ThepointofthiscasenottomakefunofGameofThronesseason8(andthere’salottosayaboutthaaaat..)buttoshedlightonthefactthatfandomsactuallyforgethowmuchworkgoesintomakingashoworamovie.Ofcourse,theyhavearighttotheiropinionandyes,intheend,thewriters,crewandactorsareworkingtostrivetoexcellence,whichisseenthroughtheaudience’sresponse.Butsometimesitjustgetstiringforeventhemtokeepupwithit.Theleadactor,KitHaringtonwasjustsodonebytheendofitthathedidn’tcarewhatfanssaidaboutthefinaleandtoldthemtogoeffthemselves.However,tothesurpriseoffans,thecrewfilmedmultipleendingsofGameofThrones.Maybethey’llpullaHIMYMandleakthealternateending!Fandomscangocrazyandactlikeentitledbrats,ortheycansaveashow,ortheycanjustgivecontenttothecreatorsofTVshowsandmoviesandbookstoplayaroundwith.WithRickandMortyendingtheirnewseason4trailerwiththeline“Halftheseasonyoudeserve.Alltheseasonwecouldhandle”,isaclearnodtohowlongfanshavebeenwaitingforthenewseason,yettheyareabletofanouttheflamesofthislongwaitbyasimplelinewhichsufficestheentitlementofusfans.SocialMediahasmadeitsoeasyforfanstosharetheirviewsaboutallthethingsthey’repassionateaboutthatmoreoftenthannotcompaniesandbrandsareabletoseethescopebecauseofthis.Imeancomeon,theSpiceGirlscamebacktogetherforareuniontour.AFriendsReunionspecialmightbehappening.HECKWHOKNOWSMAYBETHEOFFICEWILLGETREBOOTED(PLEASEGOD!!!!).Thebeautifulpartaboutfandomcultureisthatit’snotlimitedtopopculture.PoliticalFandomsexisttoo,thankstosocialmedia.FandomCulturehasgrownpowerful,whereeachfanhasavoiceoftheirown.Youcansaythatthishasformeditsowndemocraticnatureontheinternet,thatinitsownwayvotesforwhatworksandwhatdoesn’t.Imean,it’sasimplecaseofOnlineReputationManagement.Yougottahaveyourcustomersgivingpositivereactionstoyourproduct.Andherefansareyourcustomers,whoknowwhatpowerliesintheirhands.Theinternethasgiventhemthefueltheyneededtomakethemselvesheard,butbothcompaniesandfandomsmustknow—withgreatpower,comesgreatresponsibility.Thanksforalwaysremindingus,SpideyTheStartupGetsmarteratbuildingyourthing.JoinTheStartup’s+748Kfollowers.107FandomPopCultureSocialMediaOnlineReputationEntertainmentIndustry107 claps107TheStartupGetsmarteratbuildingyourthing.FollowtojoinTheStartup’s+8millionmonthlyreaders&+748Kfollowers.WrittenbyJanyaSindhuFollowWithaninterestinmarketingandassomeonewhoisobsessedwithresearch,Ihopetosharesomearticlestobringinsightstolight.TheStartupGetsmarteratbuildingyourthing.FollowtojoinTheStartup’s+8millionmonthlyreaders&+748Kfollowers.MoreFromMediumWhyTheWattageofWhiteActressesbyTheLosAnglesTimes,ServesAsTheWakeupCallWeDon’tNeedEzinneUkohaThankYou,RobRiggleDavidDeanATrivialDispute…ortheTrialoftheBrexiteers?JasonPlessasProfitingfromLandIsUltimatelyImmoralManuDelgado-MedranoRealRichPorterWithMoneyrenewpreviewGoTPowerRankings//“TheRedWoman”JakeLustickinCycleONENIGHTONLYRonFasslerREAD/DOWNLOAD$!TheCarrying:PoemsFULLBOOKPDF&FULLAUDIOBOOKYellowha