Fangirls are some of the world's most effective, and underestimated, modern marketers.
They spot cultural shifts before they hit the mainstream, build fiercely loyal communities around shared identity, and turn niche passions into full-blown cultural movements, often with zero budget and zero institutional support. The mechanics behind how they do it are repeatable, scalable, and hiding in plain sight.
This session operates as a live translation as experts unpack how fangirl communities actually work: how they self-organize, self-protect, and sustain genuine belonging over time.
Three core lessons sit at the heart of every successful fangirl community: knowing exactly who you're for and refusing to dilute it, replacing passive dashboard listening with real community participation, and giving long before you expect anything in return.
You'll walk away with practical fluency in the mechanics fangirls use to create community, trust and cultural momentum, and a playbook for turning those lessons into scalable brand growth.
Will Cady is on a mission to turn curiosity into understanding. As Reddit’s Global Brand Ambassador, his job is to communicate the power of Reddit’s communities to bridge the gap between people and drive the trends that keep culture interesting.
Prior to taking on the ambassador role, Will launched, hired, and managed KarmaLab, Reddit’s multi-award-winning global creative strategy team after launching Reddit’s Los Angeles brand partnerships office. As a leader, Will taps years of experience architecting revenue-driving programs that connect brands with fast-growing pockets of music, art, and experience just as they reach their tipping points. Will’s work as a brand and creative strategist covers a majority of Fortune 100 brands.Â
He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, recipient of an Emmy Award (New England Regional) for Best Musical Composition/Arrangement, and has been featured as a member of the 2020 AdWeek Top 50 for Tech, Media, and Marketing. His original music has amassed ~2M+ streams on Spotify and counting. Will’s debut book will be released in October of 2023 with a focus on examining where creativity comes from.
In all areas, Will endeavors to speak thoughtfully, listen deeply, and build on the resonance in between.
Andrew Dawson is Brandwatch's Industry Principal and CX Head of their Social Network Practice. He is tasked with helming relationships with Meta, Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr and TikTok. Leading the global social network practice group, he holds a reputable position as a respected leader in crisis communications and digital communications. Prior to joining Brandwatch Andrew was an ensemble member of a social intelligence team at Publicis for nearly half a decade. His work has spanned a diverse array of clients such as the Saudi Royal Family, Walmart, and Tic Tac.
Outside of work, Andrew is an active member of the Columbia University community, recently completing his masters in strategic communications.
