On today's episode of Variety's “Strictly Business†podcast, Havas Play executives Andrea Isaac and Juliet Tierney discuss insights on reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers — and the differences that distinguish them.
The senior leaders of the branded content and experiential marketing unit of marketing giant Havas discuss the sea change in marketing priorities and the need to tap into culture and across a range of fan communities. The key issue for big brands is learning to “understand strategy from a culture standpoint†in ways that are radically different from past practices, says Isaac, who is Havas Play's managing partner for North America.
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“We think of fandom as the infrastructure of culture,†Isaac says.
Now that streaming video and online communities have greatly fragmented culture it is harder to reach large swaths of consumers with traditional TV spots and magazine pages.
“It's not happening in one place, in one moment,†she says. “For us, fandom is the infrastructure, the layer that interconnects how people are actually living their lives today.â€
Tierney, who is senior VP of partnerships and culture strategy, described the marketplace for brands at the present moment of transformation as being akin to “a high school cafeteria.†Isaac and Tierney and spoke with Variety's Jennifer Maas in a conversation held April 22 as part of the annual Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit.
“I like to think about the whole media ecosystem, if you will, as like a high school cafeteria — like different high school cafeterias. They all look different and there's different social currency among them,†Tierney says. “And there's always some people in that environment that can bridge the gap between these different groups and these different communities. The brands that can do that are going to be very successful.â€
“Strictly Business†is Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. Click here to sign up for our free, weekly “Strictly Business†newsletter. New podcast episodes debut every Friday and can be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more.
Pictured top: Andrea Isaac (left) and Juliet Tierney at Variety‘s Entertainment Marketing Summit in Beverly Hills on April 22, 2026
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