ABSTRACT
This chapter critically examines the term ‘grassroots intermediaries’ in relation to contemporary Hollywood film promotion, with particular emphasis on the question of whether grassroots intermediaries operate independently from any corporate system. It begins by discussing the etymology and meaning of the term ‘grassroots’, and uses this to suggest that commercial organisations that rely on the support of grassroots intermediaries should, in theory, have a vested interest in listening to the demands of those at their base. It then explores this theory in practice by analysing the role of grassroots intermediaries within European football fandom. This exploration demonstrates how social identity within fan cultures is formed through the productive engagement with commercial products and highlights the inherent relationship this has to capitalist hierarchies. The chapter then applies this understanding of hierarchy, capitalism, and fandom to a critical examination of the role of grassroots intermediaries in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 marketing campaign.
