The way artists, businesses, and organizations communicate with their audiences is entering a new chapter as Community announces the expansion of its direct-to-fan platform with a new generation of interactive messaging experiences. Featuring major names across music, sports, entertainment, and consumer brands, the launch includes Madonna, Bruno Mars, Megan Moroney, the Detroit Lions, and McDonald’s, among others.
The technology is designed to turn traditional text messages into personalized, interactive experiences that give fans a more direct connection to the artists and brands they follow. Through integrations with Apple Messages for Business and Rich Communication Services (RCS) on supported devices, users can explore content, discover exclusive opportunities, interact with personalized media, and make purchases without having to leave their messaging conversations.
Rather than limiting communication to standard text updates, Community is introducing experiences that function more like interactive destinations within the messaging platforms people already use. The goal is to make fan engagement an ongoing conversation, giving audiences the ability to return whenever they want to discover something new, participate in exclusive activities, or connect with their favorite names.
One of the first major developments involves country star Megan Moroney, who will introduce an in-message merchandise shopping experience powered by Apple Pay. The feature makes her the first artist to bring this particular shopping capability to fans through Apple Messages, allowing them to browse and purchase merchandise directly within their conversation.
According to Hayley Corbett, artist manager for Megan Moroney, the partnership reflects the artist’s ongoing commitment to strengthening her relationship with her audience and finding new ways to reward the fans who support her. The streamlined shopping experience is another opportunity to bring fans closer to the artist while making exclusive merchandise more accessible.
Bruno Mars is also utilizing the platform to create a more individualized connection with his worldwide audience. From live performances and international pop-ups to online interactions, the experience brings different touchpoints together through a direct communication channel. Personalized messaging allows fans in different locations to receive information relevant to them, including music announcements, tour updates, and exclusive content. With the latest additions, those interactions can become more immersive, giving fans an interactive space to explore the world surrounding the artist.
The initiative is also receiving support from Warner Music Group, which sees the technology as an opportunity to expand how artists connect with their audiences. Sebastian Simone, Global SVP of Direct-to-Fan Services at Warner Music Group, highlighted the potential for fans to discover music, merchandise, and tickets directly through messaging, creating additional ways for artists to engage with their communities.
The expansion isn’t limited to the music industry. McDonald’s and the Detroit Lions are among the major organizations exploring how interactive messaging can bring audiences closer to their brands. For McDonald’s, the evolution builds on its existing direct communication with customers, with plans to introduce opportunities for fans to explore content, interact with the brand, and eventually order their favorite menu items directly through messaging.
Local government is also becoming part of the initiative. The City of West Hollywood will be the first municipality to adopt Community’s new interactive messaging capabilities, opening the door to a more accessible way for residents to receive important updates and interact with local services. The platform is expected to make it easier for community members to discover city resources, stay informed about local developments, and communicate with City Hall.
Mayor John Heilman noted that the city has consistently looked for new ways to embrace technology and improve communication with residents. Building on the popularity of its existing text notification system, West Hollywood hopes the new experience will make government information more convenient to access while encouraging greater community participation.
Additional participants in the launch include Russell Dickerson, Julia Cole, and independent artists The Burney Sisters, Tessa Schultz, and Carrie Brockwell. Their involvement demonstrates the platform’s reach across established acts, emerging talent, professional sports, and major consumer brands.
Jeremy Schultz, CEO of Community, believes the next stage of audience engagement will depend on creating meaningful, personalized relationships rather than relying solely on traditional promotional messaging. Josh Rosenheck, co-founder of the company, described the new capabilities as an entirely different creative space, where an ordinary text conversation can evolve into a fully interactive experience.
The expanded platform builds on Community’s existing tools for audience management, personalized communication, and targeted messaging, bringing these capabilities together into one integrated experience. With additional partnerships and launches planned across music, sports, entertainment, and other industries, Community is positioning itself at the forefront of a changing digital landscape, where the connection between audiences and the names they follow can become more personal, accessible, and interactive.
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