ENTER THE THIRD SPACE

Where Brands Win or Lose Cultural Relevance

Welcome to Fan Index 25/26. The annual ranking of the world’s top 100 brands by how attractive they are to fans. 

This year, the story is clear: cultural power has shifted into The Third Space, the fan-led spaces that sit outside traditional media and brand control, where meaning is made every day. Think Discord servers, TikTok edits, fan podcasts, watch parties, and meme accounts.

Fans own these spaces. Brands no longer get a free pass. 

Download the report & learn:

• Which social media giant rocketed to #1, and which platform lost almost 40 points?
• How top brands like Nike, Netflix and Pringles are rewriting the rules of cultural intimacy and myth-making.
• The 6 laws of the third space every marketer needs to know from “Craft Your Moments” to “Humanise Fame”. 
• The warning signs of “cultural drift” and how to spot when your brand is at risk of losing relevance.
  
• The checklist for Brand Leaders to win in The Third Space.

Why does this matter ?

The Third Space has changed the rules. These fan-led communities thrive on participation, authenticity and emotional connection. Fans gather there to create culture on their own terms, and they judge brands on what they do, not what they say. For CMOs and Brand Directors, understanding how fans are shaping the rules of engagement is critical for turning cultural energy into measurable business growth.

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