50% of Gen Z and millennial gamers want to see more celebrities in video games. Why?
Gen Z doesn’t just follow brands and celebrities—they immerse themselves in the fandoms they love. From sharing emotes inspired by K-pop idols to joining digital treasure hunts with their favorite sports teams, their passion goes beyond social media and into virtual worlds like Roblox and Fortnite.
So, how can marketers turn this Gen Z passion into measurable results?
We spoke to Karta, the development studio that built virtual experiences for Juice WRLD, TWICE, BLACKPINK, Manchester City FC, as well as GEEIQ partners HUGO and NASCAR. They shared actionable insights on how marketers can harness fandom to drive engagement, build loyalty, and achieve real-world conversions.
Here’s how to turn Gen Z fandom into measurable marketing success. 👇
What is fandom?
Combining the words fan and kingdom, ‘fandom’ describes groups of people who share a deep connection to a particular person, brand, or area of entertainment.
For Gen Z, fandom thrives in high-attention digital spaces like social media and virtual worlds. These platforms empower them to express their passion, connect with like-minded communities, and actively shape the culture they love.
A YouTube survey highlights this: 86% of Gen Z identify as fans, and 92% engage weekly with content tied to their fandom.
Fandom is more than just following. It’s the shared experiences, connections, and creativity that turn fans into loyal, engaged communities. That deeper engagement is what marketers can tap into and cultivate.
How can marketers tap into Gen Z fandom?
1. Understand the fandom and your audience.
To tap into Gen Z fandom, brands need to understand what their audience values most and where they spend their time.
Take TWICE Square on Roblox.
The K-pop group recognized that their fans wanted more than just passive content—they wanted interactive, shared experiences. By creating a virtual meet-and-greet with direct interactions with the band, TWICE gave their fandom a space to connect and participate.
The results speak for themselves: over 301,000 fans attended, sharing 105,000 messages, with paying users spending an average of 90 Robux each. The experience now has 91.3 million total visits and 4 million average monthly visits.
Morgan Evans, Director of Fashion & Beauty at Karta, explained what made TWICE’s experience so successful:
“TWICE Square is always about fandom. Die-hard fans want to know what’s next. It’s not just about a virtual concert—it’s about translating that fandom into opportunities for engagement, like queues for gigs, experiences, or items.”
2. Meet your audience where they are.
Gen Z now spends 12 hours per week gaming, turning platforms like Roblox and Fortnite into social hubs. In fact, Gen Z spends more time on Roblox and Fortnite than TikTok and YouTube combined. Brands that show up authentically in these spaces can foster meaningful engagement by meeting their audience where they already are.
Juice WRLD’s Fortnite activation is a prime example. Launched in partnership with Interscope Records and Grade A Productions, the campaign delivered impressive results in just 24 hours:
- 11,377 concurrent users
- 62.5% island retention rate
- 172,000 total plays
- Over 2 million minutes played
The activation coincided with Fortnite’s The Remix Finale event, drawing over 14 million players to the platform and creating an opportunity to engage music fans already immersed in the Fortnite ecosystem. By showing up where audiences were already connecting, Juice WRLD’s team created a compelling activation that translated fandom into measurable engagement.
3. Partner with popular figures and brands.
Collaborations with influential figures and brands can supercharge engagement by tapping into existing fan bases.
Manchester City exemplified this on Fortnite with The Ladder, a competitive game that drove 475 average active players post-launch in July 2024. Adding star power, Jack Grealish played the game live, generating buzz and social content around the event. Grealish’s appeal to gaming audiences was also already established, thanks to his previous appearance in Gucci Town on Roblox.
The team’s Blue Moon experience on Roblox has attracted over 10.7 million visits since February 2023, offering fans free UGC items for milestones like 20,000 goals and exclusive rewards through community challenges.
By combining star power with gamified rewards, Manchester City shows how brands can leverage fandom to drive sustained engagement and loyalty.
However, translating a great IP or brand into virtual worlds isn’t enough to drive engagement on gaming platforms. As Evans explained:
“Just building a 3D space isn’t enough. The visual quality is less important if the whole activation successfully taps into the culture. A lot of the time the best graphics perform poorly on engagement as it is often style over substance.”
4. Engage fans with immersive experiences and phygital campaigns.
Fans want deeper connections with brands and celebrities. Blending physical and digital experiences delivers on that demand.
A standout example is GEEIQ partner HUGO and Visa Cash App RB’s virtual strategy. The campaign bridged the gap between real-world F1 Grand Prix events and virtual experiences, offering fans a digital twist on their favorite sport. HUGO’s innovative approach included:
- Digital product replicas: HUGO brought its signature denim line into Roblox, giving fans a chance to interact with virtual versions of its real-world products.
- Phygital events: Real-life events like the Miami Garage and Berlin launch parties were mirrored on Roblox, creating a seamless connection between physical and digital experiences.
- Driver-signed virtual items: Exclusive digital items featuring F1 driver signatures were created, giving fans a unique way to celebrate their favorite athletes on Roblox.
In December 2024, GEEIQ partner HUGO also became one of the first brands to sell real-world products on Roblox.
By leveraging these touchpoints, HUGO didn’t just create a campaign—it built a multi-reality experience that engaged fans across both worlds. This strategy showcases how blending the physical and digital can amplify brand loyalty, drive engagement, and keep fans coming back for more.
5. Create clear data-driven goals.
To successfully tap into Gen Z fandom, brands must set clear, data-driven goals aligned with their specific objectives—be it building cultural relevance, increasing concert ticket sales, or driving merch revenue.
Take GEEIQ partner NASCAR’s Fortnite activations. The brand’s goal was to connect with Gen Z audiences in a deeper way.
By reimagining its iconic races as immersive Fortnite experiences, NASCAR created maps like the Talladega Time Warp, a journey through NASCAR’s history. This activation was amplified with a $10K content creator tournament, driving attention and participation.
The results?
- The Chicago Street Race achieved 157 peak active users—solid performance for a Fortnite Creative activation.
These results suggest that NASCAR has a niche audience on Fortnite. However, without access to this and other core statistics, it would be impossible to measure the success of this campaign. You could get PR-related statistics from other platforms, for example, NASCAR’s Fortnite experience led to 25k organic views on YouTube. However, you would not be able to access any other statistics around retention, plays, or minutes played.
By partnering with studios like Karta or data platforms like GEEIQ, brands like NASCAR can access and interpret the hard-to-reach analytics needed to refine campaigns and deliver measurable results.
Key takeaways
Tapping into Gen Z fandom requires more than just showing up—it’s about creating authentic, tailored experiences that resonate deeply with fan cultures. Whether it’s building immersive campaigns like TWICE SQUARE on Roblox, leveraging star power like Manchester City’s Blue Moon, or blending physical and digital touchpoints like HUGO’s phygital events, the formula is clear: know your audience, deliver meaningful engagement, and focus on measurable results.
To learn more about virtual strategies and brands in gaming, sign up to get access to our latest report, The State of Brands in Gaming & Virtual Worlds Part IV. 👇
