There’s absolutely nothing new in creating a fan page for someone whose work you admire. There are thousands upon thousands of social media accounts across all platforms dedicated to the admiration, support, and pursuit of influential figures’ lives and careers. Taking into account the following some of these fan accounts amass, it’s unsurprising that some people are even making a profit on them! Still, how often does having one of these accounts allow you to follow your dreams, and work with the person who kickstarted your passion in the first place? This is the case for Saba Bakhia and his @demnagram.
But what is @demnagram?
Let’s start by saying that @demnagram is not a fan page
@demnagram is a support page. Supported by the very Demna himself, and by Balenciaga. The support page keeps its 199k followers informed on all things Demna, as far as his career, work, and creative endeavours go. Whether we’re talking about new Balenciaga collections, shows, product launches, campaigns, collaborations or even professional achievements such as Demna making on the list of Time’s Most Influential 100 people, it’s all there on the @demnagram.
One of the key differences between other fan pages and the @demnagram is the specific focus on Demna’s work. @demnagram seeks to inform the public about the work that Demna carries out, revelling in it.
But how does a 22-year-old from Georgia end up working with Balenciaga and getting involved in their social media strategy? Sure Saba and Demna share the same home country, but it takes more than this to impress someone who rubs shoulder daily with the likes of Ye and GAP.
The wonders of social media, and the power of Demna’s hopeful words
One of the reasons why social media works so well with celebrity culture is the illusion of closeness with our idols. We see content that they themselves post. We see their accounts and think they’re right there, on the other side of the screen. This false narrative that we create in our heads, that we actually know these people because we see their Instagram accounts, is often just that, a fantasy. Fans are known to reach out to their idols, to try and ‘sneak into their DMs or get reposted, and sure, sometimes it works and you might get a like back. But more often than not these efforts are futile.
Well, not for Saba Bakhia, whose life changed all the way back in 2016 thanks to, believe it or not, a Facebook message. One good day, Saba Bakhia decided to express his appreciation for Demna’s work via a simple, yet effective, Facebook message: “You’re simply the best.”
To the Georgian youngster’s surprise, Demna replied. “Believe in yourself and follow your dreams, they will always bring you to good places.”. And so, the spark for the @demnagram was born. Saba began the @demnagram to pay homage to his home country’s hero. Someone who, against all odds, defied the standards set by his roots, broke free, and succeeded in following his dreams. With Demna’s trajectory and his kind words, Saba began following his dreams, without even having a fully-fledged idea of what they looked like.
@demnagram was a way of admiring Demna yes, but not even in his wildest dreams did Saba think that would lead him to his hero. And yet here we are.
Saba Bakhia is now an important part of Demna and Balenciaga’s social media strategy
The Georgian fan is now a key element of Balenciaga and Demna’s social media strategy. They work alongside Saba, allowing him creative control of the @demnagram while offering support and exclusive content for him to publish. This beneficial relationship ensures that Balenciaga has a way of communicating what they’re doing on social media, while not having to carry out its strategy from its official account. Being able to give off that ‘exclusive luxury’ feel. You know the one we’re talking about, the one where only those privileged enough have access. Isn’t this why they deleted they religiously delete most of their social media content? And yet the @demnagram allows for hype to be created and hungry followers’ minds engaged.
What are the implications of the @demnagram?
Could this mean that fans should have bigger roles in the marketing strategies of big brands? Of all brands, really?
For those who seem surprised, just remember that for example Discord, many brands turn to its most dedicated members to act as moderators. Is this indicative of a trend where ultra fans increasingly get involved in a brand’s marketing strategies? After all, who better to communicate what you’re doing and how you’re doing it than those with a prodigious passion for what you do?
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