Introducing the Narrative as the Brand

This chapter serves as an introduction to the whole book, and also to media fans and the marketing and brand management of narrative brands. The focus on marketing and brand management is explained, and how they apply to fans, loyal players and audiences of fan objects that are narrative brands. The chapter highlights how viewing and analysing fans; loyal players and audiences of video game, television and movie series present new insights and understandings as to why they react to, protest and launch fan activism against these narrative brands. Two case studies, the 2016 film Ghostbusters and the 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi , are used as examples. In both cases, despite some toxic and unacceptable anti-fan behaviour, applying marketing and brand management concepts such as brand authenticity, brand nostalgia, brand heritage and brand co-creation highlights how their reactions were predictable.