The brief for our Fan Clubs is quite specific. As an agency who focus on harnessing followings for brands, we want to hear from an industry outside our own and soak up the learnings.

Well, these feverish times demand people making bold moves. So, we wondered, could one person create a movement and carry huge communities of fans with them?

The fertile ground to explore this coalesces around politics and popular culture. Where opinion and experience, distilled through the world of social media, content and podcasts, sway and inform vast groups of people. Our two speakers causing such ripples were Fearne Cotton, whose mental health story, complemented by a successful radio and tv career, is moving people and raising awareness. And Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality Party (WEP) a pioneering, vital movement that both exposes and educates.

When Fearne began by asking if someone could singlehandedly start a movement, Sophie’s ponderous, drawn out response, delivered with not a small amount of comic timing, of ‘no, they couldn’t’, meant the packed-to-the-rafters audience were rapt. Indeed, Sophie’s style of captivating was like finely marshalling theatre goers, sweeping them up by plot lines with the promise of what happens next. Emotion, narrative, hope, persuasion.

We heard about the foundations of her story, so seemingly fragile at the time, child with a disability, single mum, sexism in the work place, but having since fortified her focus for the party, which she still insisted was a work in progress. She discussed what the patriarchy means and why it’s so pernicious. Devastating stats and observations were given, her fluency softening the few hints of polemic.

A big takeout for us marketers was that the earned media, connected approach of authenticity, identity and truth, will give brands much inspiration and food for thought.

At the end, a man queried the need for the word equality. He favoured women as employees he elaborated, perhaps clumsily. Sophie’s riposte was terse and a tad humiliating as she proposed he’d been patronising and didn’t quite get it. She then insisted the next question was from a woman.

The exchange piqued everybody. Sides seemed to be taken. A microcosm for how a movement can kickstart dialogue perhaps.

SPEAKERS

Fearne Cotton, TV & Radio presenter

Sophie Walker, Leader, Women's Equality Party

Key take outs:

• Not belonging can be a strength. Sophie always felt on the outside, the establishment as a great, big hurdle. This has given her a totally different perspective and a clarity about what the real problems and issues are.
• Pick those battles. There are a lot of battles to be won. Sophie likes to land on a few favourites, to make headway and keep momentum. Sad but true: you can’t win everything, especially when you’re a growing movement.
• Us against the world! Being on her own and starting with nothing was daunting. But what an opportunity to be the change she wanted to see.
• Keep it simple. By her own admission, Sophie has grand plans and one hell of a vision. Distilling it into a simple action for people has been key.
• Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork. Sure, she’s the leader. But Sophie’s focus is on collaboration and bringing people into the movement.

CONTACT

Caroline Hickey, Account Manager, Red Brick Road, [email protected]