Strong brands don’t just win hearts, they drive financial results.
MarketCast’s third annual Brand Fandom study (which analyzed three years of data across 160+ brands and 21 categories) shows a strong, consistent connection between brand fandom and its bottom-line performance. When fans show up for a brand, the business impact is real.
The Link Between Brand and Revenue
In a deep-dive analysis across 48 brands in nine major categories, ranging from auto and QSR to retail and streaming, MarketCast’s data science team found that when Brand Fandom goes up, revenue tends to follow. In fact, fluctuations in brand fandom account for more than 50% of the variation in annual revenue performance.
Nearly two-thirds of the brands analyzed by MarketCast saw revenue rise and fall in step with their fandom scores. Where fandom increased, revenue climbed by an average of 10.1%—a powerful signal that stronger brand affinity translates to stronger business outcomes.
Subaru: Stronger Fandom, Stronger Sales
Over the last three years, Subaru has steadily increased its brand fandom, driven largely by a boost in Brand Presence (consumers see, hear from, or read about the brand regularly.) This growth mirrors a 13% lift in U.S. vehicle sales and a surge in global revenue between 2022 and 2023.
Subaru is now tied with Ford for fourth place in overall brand fandom within the automotive category – twenty points above the category average.
What’s behind the rise? Subaru invested nearly $70 million more in U.S. advertising year-over-year, pushing total ad spend to $514 million, according to Ad Age. The brand also leaned into purpose-driven messaging with its annual “Share the Love” campaign, spotlighting local charities and causes close to the hearts of its fans.
Fandom Pays Off
The numbers speak for themselves: Strong brands start with strong fans. Brand Fandom is a powerful signal for business performance. Understanding how your brand fandom is shifting up or down can provide a powerful view into how your customers are buying and your business is performing.
If you want to understand your brand fandom, contact us today!