Foreword
by Tony Robbins xv
Part I What's a Fanocracy and Why Do You Need One?
Chapter 1 Our Story 3
Chapter 2 Strength Through Fandom 12
The Boston Red Sox: Uniting the City of Boston
What or Who Is a Fan?
The Lonely Chaos of the Digital Age
This Is My City
Chapter 3 The Power of Fan-Centric Business 24
Go Beyond the Product
MeUndies: The Story of a Subscription Underpants Company
Hagerty Insurance: It's Not Products and Services, It's People
Open House Party: The Radio Show That Beats the Playlist
Brookline Booksmith: Building an Entire Community of Book Lovers
A Restaurant in Bucharest
Part II Nine Steps to Building Your Fanocracy
Chapter 4 Get Closer Than Usual 47
St. Vincent: How Going Offstage Made a Performance Go Viral
Degrees of Proximity Make the Difference in How You Connect
Starbucks: Making Connections to Like-Minded People into a Worldwide Success?
The Millionaires' Magician: Bringing Audience Members into a Performance
Re-creating the Entire Recreational Vehicle Industry
KOA: The Very Social Aspects of Camping Under the Stars
Josh's Rainbow Eggs: Treating Customers and Chickens Right
Mirroring and Your Fans
Celebrity Selfies Are the New Autographs
Chapter 5 Let Go of Your Creations 77
Sleep No More: Facilitating Individual Interpretations of Macbeth
Adobe: Failing to See Through the Customer's Eyes
What Is Fan Fiction?
Check, Please!: More Than a Comic Book
West Side Story, Hamilton, and Other Classics Transform Older Works in Interesting Ways
Hot Rods and Land Rovers
The Voice of the Reader
Ubisoft: Embracing Fan Creativity
Star Wars: Backlash and Rules of Engagement
The Power of Engaged Business Communities
Microsoft: Partner Networks and Peer Communities Grow Business
No One Way to Tell a Story
Chapter 6 Give More Than You Have To 107
The Incredible Power of a Simple Gift
The Grateful Dead: Giving Away Music to Reach New Fans
Really, Truly, and Completely Free
When "Free" Becomes Coercion
Duracell PowerForward: Giving Away Millions of Batteries to People in Need
Charlie's Taxi: How One Man Can Compete with Uber
Chapter 7 Build Identity to Become More than the Product 127
Coming of Age and Becoming Ageless
MuggleNet: Where Harry Potter Fans Share
Air Jordans: A Different Kind of Status Symbol
Magic: The Gathering-An Old-School Card Game That Succeeds in Our Digital Age
Chapter 8 Be Smart About Influencers 142
RVCA: How Advocates for a Clothing and Lifestyle Brand Influence Customers
Brand Advocates Enjoy Spreading the Word About Your Brand
Famous for Being Famous
Nike: Controversy Sells. Or Does It?
Sarah Beth Yoga: Developing a True Brand Partnership
Reaching Business Influencers from Companies like Facebook, Google, Kraft, IBM, John Deere, and Boeing
How to Work with Brand Ambassadors
McKinsey & Company: Tapping Alumni to Promote the Company
Experimenting with Chinese Internet Celebrity
Chapter 9 Break Down Barriers 162
Beyond the Transaction
IMPACT: Creating Emotional Context
Grain Surfboards: A Business That Invites Customers into Their Inner Sanctum
Coldplay: Creating a Bigger Fan Base by Bringing People Together
Harmony: Letting Fans Influence Their Favorite Music Artists' Performances
The Rattle: Tearing Down Barriers in Music and Technology
Chapter 10 Listen to Rehumanize 186
The Alienation of Misdiagnosis
Era of Automation and Digitization: Why Your Customers Need You Now More Than Ever
Dehumanization: When the Data Gets It Wrong
How Narrative Medicine Makes the Big Difference in Health Care
Raising the Influence of Teens to Take Charge
Hearing the Voice and Speaking Up for the Voiceless
Triathlon World Champion Becomes a Coach Focused on Humanity
Chapter 11 Tell the Truth, Especially When It Hurts 208
IHOP: #IHOb and Lying to Your Fans
KFC: The Chicken Restaurant That Ran Out of Chicken
Blockchain Technology as a Critical Ingredient of Trust
Concert Ticketing: Establishing and Sustaining Trust with Your Fans
Stop Spinning, Start Connecting, and Begin to Change the World
Chapter 12 Develop Employees Who Are Fans 227
Are Your Employees Feeling Their Significance?
Creating a Winning Team!
Passion Is a Habit
HubSpot: Building a Fandom Culture One Employee at a Time
Part III Enjoying Fanocracy
Chapter 13 A Passionate Life 249
Comic Con: Embracing My Fandom Pride
Creating a Common Language of Connection
Jimi Hendrix Fans at a Flamenco Concert
When You Are a Fan of What You Do
The Girl Who Found a Dinosaur
The Sheer Delight in Other People's Passions
HeadCount: Musicians for Democracy
The Secret Language of Passionate People
Chapter 14 Share Your Fandom 270
Acknowledgments 273
Index 277
About the Authors 283