The 2026/27 report introduces ‘Power Return’ – a new formula for how brands can connect with fans and drive commercial growth.
Global creative agency Ear to the Ground has published the seventh edition of its Fan Intelligence® Index, its annual ranking of 100 of the world’s most influential brands through the eyes of fans.
At the heart of the 2026/27 report is Power Return – a new formula for brands looking to connect with fans and drive commercial growth.
The relationship between brands and fans is changing. Simply showing up in fan spaces is no longer enough. As brands become an increasingly established presence in culture, fans are placing greater value on what that presence enables, improves or gives back – whether that’s enhancing an experience, unlocking access, creating opportunities or giving fans new ways to participate.
Analysing two million words of fan conversation, Ear to the Ground found a clear shift in what fans are talking about when it comes to brands.
Where fan conversations once centred predominantly on style (how a brand looks and feels) and content (how a brand tells its story), fans are increasingly talking about utility: how a brand makes fan life easier, better or more rewarding.
Traditional approaches built around logo placement, proximity to culture and borrowed moments are losing their impact. The brands cutting through are doing more than creating utility for fans – they’re making that utility interesting, entertaining and worth engaging with.
That is the Power Return formula.
The 9 Powers Matrix
The report also introduces the 9 Powers Matrix, identifying nine distinct ways brands can return power to fans.
These range from Memory Power (helping important fan moments live on) to Capability Power (giving fans the tools to create, play and perform) alongside seven further ways brands can create value for fan communities.
Together, the nine powers provide a practical framework for brands to move beyond simply showing up in culture and towards making a meaningful contribution to it.
The Fan Intelligence® Index 2026/27 explores which brands are doing this most effectively, how fan expectations are changing, and what brands can learn from those creating the strongest relationships with fans.
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