Data-Driven Stardom: How SAP-Powered AI Elevated Now United’s Global Fan Engagement

Business Case Study: The Power of AI-Driven Fan Engagement

Introduction: A New Paradigm in Music Group Growth

Now United, a Simon Fuller-created global pop group, wasn’t just about music; it was an experiment in digital fan engagement. With each member hailing from different countries and possessing their own pre-existing fan bases, the challenge was clear: how to seamlessly merge millions of individual fans into a single, highly engaged Now United community. This case study explores how SAP’s AI-driven CX and HANA tools powered a next-generation analytics platform to track, grade, and optimize each member’s social media influence, fostering exponential growth over four years.

The Challenge: Unifying a Fragmented Global Audience

Each Now United member entered the franchise with a dedicated social media following. However, there was no guarantee that personal fans would transition into engaged Now United supporters. The key questions were:

• Which members were best at converting personal fans into Now United followers?

• What social platforms and content types drove the most engagement?

• How could data-backed insights improve individual and group-wide performance?

• Which songs and videos were trending, and in what territories or countries?

• How could AI track the sponsorship value generated by individual and group-wide influence?

• How could AI analyze merchandise sales data to optimize product offerings and revenue?

To answer these, Now United needed a robust, AI-powered data pipeline that could process millions of interactions daily, provide real-time grading, and generate strategic recommendations.

The Solution: AI-Powered Analytics with SAP CX and HANA

To achieve this, Now United co-architected and designed an AI-driven fan engagement analysis platform using SAP Customer Experience (CX) Suite and SAP HANA.

Key SAP Technologies Used:

• SAP Customer Data Cloud (CDC): Unified fan identities and tracked interactions across platforms.

• SAP Marketing Cloud: AI-driven audience segmentation and content personalization.

• SAP Commerce Cloud: Enabled fan monetization strategies.

• SAP HANA: High-speed, in-memory processing for real-time insights and machine learning modeling.

• SAP Analytics Cloud: Auto-generated reports and strategic recommendations.

How the System Worked: Daily AI-Powered Grading

Step 1: Data Collection & Member Activity Scoring

Every 24 hours, SAP’s system aggregated real-time social media data from: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Weibo APIs
Google Trends & Sentiment Analysis Tools
SAP Customer Data Cloud for unified audience tracking

Step 2: AI-Based Grading & Performance Calculation

Each member was graded using a weighted AI scoring model, considering:

• Engagement Rate (25%) – Likes, comments, shares per post.

• Fan Conversion Rate (25%) – Number of followers migrated to Now United’s official platforms.

• Posting Consistency (20%) – Frequency and timing of social activity.

• Now United Mentions (15%) – How often members referenced the group.

• Sentiment Score (15%) – AI-driven analysis of fan reactions.

Example: A member with a high engagement rate but low conversion received a lower overall grade than one with moderate engagement but a strong fan migration score.

Step 3: Real-Time Reporting & Strategy Adjustments

Each day, SAP Analytics Cloud auto-generated reports, including:

Performance Heatmaps – Highlighting top and underperforming members
Fan Migration Analysis – Tracking personal-to-group conversion rates
Engagement Trends – Identifying high-performing content
AI Recommendations – Automated strategy tips for optimizatio

Step 4: AI-Driven Recommendations & Strategy Optimization

Using predictive analytics, SAP Marketing Cloud suggested real-time social strategy tweaks like:

• "Increase TikTok challenges for Member X to boost engagement."

• "Member Y’s posts perform best at 7 PM in Brazil - adjust scheduling."

• "Instagram Stories have 12% higher conversion - prioritize interactive content."

Results: Measurable Growth in Fan Engagement

Over four years, SAP’s AI-driven system delivered exponential audience growth:
Tens of millions of new followers across platforms
50% increase in fan migration rates from personal accounts to Now United
Real-time content optimization that boosted engagement by 40%
Enhanced monetization opportunities through SAP Commerce Cloud

Conclusion: The Future of AI-Driven Fan Engagement

Now United’s success showcased the power of AI-driven, real-time fan analytics. By leveraging SAP’s CX Suite and HANA, the group didn’t just grow—it strategically maximized fan engagement at a global scale. This data-backed approach can now serve as a blueprint for future artists, brands, and entertainment franchises looking to optimize digital influence and audience interaction.