To Charm Fandoms, Brands Must Expand Each Community's Universe

Do it one Easter egg at a time

Fandoms have never been more powerful, or harder to impress. These aren’t the ones you can win over with media money and a logo slap. They know the lore. They’ve got the receipts. And they can sense the sticky hands of a brand from a mile away.

Increasingly, brands like Spotify, Lego and Netflix are discovering that it’s the small things that earn the biggest nods.

But there’s a fine line between an Easter egg that makes fans feel seen, and one that makes them see right through the brand. So, what does it take for a brand to gain access to a fandom?

Think Like a Fan

Access to the IP is one thing. Access to its fans? That’s a whole other universe. Fans have spent years building their community, from inside jokes and obscure references to shared rituals and unwritten rules. The starting point is simple: What would a superfan do?

That was the thinking behind “Gonna Be Glowin’,” the global campaign we created for K-beauty brand Anua in partnership with Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters.

A superfan wouldn’t just make an ad. They’d channel pure Huntr/X energy. They’d write an original K-pop inspired track with lyrical references to the movie.

Then they’d hunt down a real K-pop MV director to produce an entire K-pop music video with over 20 Easter eggs, from Derpy to the most obscure gems only a true Hunter would catch.

And that’s exactly what we did.

Play

The point wasn’t to pack in as many references as possible. It was to create something that felt like it belonged in the world fans already loved, giving them plenty to discover, decode and share.

If you want fans to go deep, you’ve got to be willing to go even deeper.

Go Small or Go Home

Sometimes the smallest Easter eggs can make the biggest impact. But the trick is knowing which details will mean something to the ones you’re trying to reach. Take Lego’s recent collaboration with Olivia Rodrigo. Across five Lego Editions sets, the singer-songwriter included dozens of hidden references and symbols for fans to discover, from lyrics to tour props. Things you’d only catch if you were a true-blue Livie.

Instead of standard branded merch, the collaboration gave fans a full-blown treasure hunt, rewarding those who knew Rodrigo’s world well enough to spot the details.

That’s what makes a good Easter egg so effective. It gives fans the satisfaction of recognizing something that others might miss. It rewards their knowledge rather than simply borrowing their enthusiasm.

But there’s a balance to strike. A reference that feels forced or disconnected can have the opposite effect. A good Easter egg should feel like a reward for being part of the fandom, not a brand showing off how much research it has done. A good Easter egg gets fans obsessing. And obsess they did, with the launch triggering a wave of organic fan content across social.

Expand Their Universe

The best fandom collaborations don’t simply reference the worlds fans love. They give them something new to do within them.

Earlier this year, Spotify mobilised an entire ARMY with “Decoding ARIRANG,” an interactive in-app Easter egg hunt launched ahead of BTS’ reunion album, ARIRANG. Fans were sent hunting for hidden audio fragments and exclusive voice messages from each BTS member.

Overnight, fans shared their discoveries on YouTube and TikTok, posting step-by-step guides on how to decode the pieces.

The best part wasn’t simply hiding content. It was giving fans a reason to work together, share what they found and become part of the experience.

When brands give fans something new to discover, experience or play with, they become part of the conversation rather than simply trying to interrupt it.

Let the Fandom Do the Rest

Whether it’s a toy launch, an in-app hunt or a K-pop MV, perhaps the greatest opportunity is creating an idea that lets the fandom take over. Something fans will want to watch, rewatch, theorise, decode and share.

Fandoms are already doing what they do best: supporting their idols, fuelling content and keeping the fandom alive. A brand’s role isn’t to manufacture that enthusiasm. It’s to understand the culture, respect the fans and give them something genuinely worth talking about.

Because the best Easter eggs don’t show fans that you’ve been paying attention. They give fans a reason to pay attention to you.

Related: 5 Keys to Help Marketers Unlock the Power of Fandom