There’s a new way to measure celebrity fandom—and potentially sell brands in the process.
It’s called FanDNA, and it’s pitching itself as an alternative to the established Marketing Evaluations’ Q ratings by matching brands with celebrities. PMK*BNC, the entertainment PR and marketing firm owned by Interpublic, and Interpret, a cross-media market research firm, launched the service in late 2011.
FanDNA uses Interpret’s New Media Measure, which surveys 9,000 people quarterly by phone and the Web about their media behaviors and attitudes toward hundreds of celebrities and brands.
For example, FanDNA found that Lady Gaga fans are likely to download music legally, describe her as “different” and “innovative,” and associate with brands like Apple and Starbucks. So if a brand wants to appeal to the forward-thinking, digitally savvy consumer, Gaga’s its go-to. Knowing fans’ media habits can also help brands target their audience, the company said.
“People in our business are using entertainment more and more, but there are no solid metrics,” said PMK*BNC CEO Chris Robichaud. “We’re trying to figure out a way to better quantify what we do.”