I'd personally say this doesn't just apply to creators or media franchises, but businesses in general. Especially in the days of the internet.
Because for good or bad, there are a lot of companies who don't really have a loyal 'fanbase'. People use them merely because they're cheap, conveniently located or out of necessity.
Which in turn makes them very liable to get disrupted and driven out of business by ecommerce giants and other large competitors. See many department stores like Sears and Macys who got obliterated by Amazon and online shopping. Or generic supermarkets who ended up destroyed by much larger competitors (like Walmart in the US, and the the 'big four' in the UK).
And the same pattern applies with creators on sites like YouTube. There are numerous channels which don't really add anything 'unique' to the videos they upload, and merely coast along on trends. They're at risk of being made irrelevant near instantly, as their 'viewers' go off to a nearly identical channel offering the same stuff even more quickly.
Developing that true fan following adds an extra 'moat' around your business to protect it from being disrupted by new technological innovations or social changes. An audience that will stick by you regardless of how much cheaper or quicker or more 'efficient' your competition might be.
Because for good or bad, there are a lot of companies who don't really have a loyal 'fanbase'. People use them merely because they're cheap, conveniently located or out of necessity.
Which in turn makes them very liable to get disrupted and driven out of business by ecommerce giants and other large competitors. See many department stores like Sears and Macys who got obliterated by Amazon and online shopping. Or generic supermarkets who ended up destroyed by much larger competitors (like Walmart in the US, and the the 'big four' in the UK).
And the same pattern applies with creators on sites like YouTube. There are numerous channels which don't really add anything 'unique' to the videos they upload, and merely coast along on trends. They're at risk of being made irrelevant near instantly, as their 'viewers' go off to a nearly identical channel offering the same stuff even more quickly.
Developing that true fan following adds an extra 'moat' around your business to protect it from being disrupted by new technological innovations or social changes. An audience that will stick by you regardless of how much cheaper or quicker or more 'efficient' your competition might be.