Lawrence native Olivia Rudensky manages celebrity fan culture
Lawrence native, and HAFTR alum, Olivia Rudensky truly lived the best of both worlds having worked for entertainer Miley Cyrus at only 16.
What started out as a Twitter fan account, transformed to a relationship and business venture with Miley Cyrus, best know for her break-out role as Hannah Montana on the Disney channel is also a Grammy award-winning artist and songwriter.
“I was so fascinated by the world of celebrity and what was out there in L.A., and how fans and their favorite talent could connect,” Rudensky, now 28, said. “I think getting that exposure to it and connecting with Miley on Twitter at a very young age, I realized that a lot of people don’t understand fan culture and what was going on online.”
A dozen years later, Rudensky, who is a graduate of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School, is running her own company, FANMADE, out of New York City.
She created FANMADE in 2021, when Cyrus let go of the management company Rudensky worked for. Cyrus was a huge supporter of Rudensky starting her own business and being part of something new.
FANMADE works with celebrities and brands to form a social media presence, and be in touch with the current trends.
They use their social media expertise to find ways for the brands and individuals to connect with the fans and create unique experiences.
Rudensky deals directly with client relations. She helps clients build strategies, and directly coaches them about what the latest happenings in social media.
“How is social media is evolving from Instagram to Twitter to Tik Tok, to all the new platforms, we’re very in touch and on the pulse with everything that’s happening” Rudensky said. “It’s constantly evolving, social media and the digital landscape is changing by the day, and we have a really good grasp on that.”
She has had the opportunity to work with NBC on the People’s Choice Awards, iHeart and ABC on Jingle Ball (a holiday concert with the top artists of the year performing their #1 hits) as consultant producers, by helping the companies understand the online culture.
Rudensky and her company were shouted out in Cyrus’s post on Instagram, when the singer won her first Grammy, earlier this year.
“We are just a blend of digital marketing but also understanding influencing culture and how to get people talking online, really making moments happen,” Rudensky said.
Passion is a big drive for Rudensky, she will only take on clients or projects that truly interest and inspires her, such as her experience working with Magnum ice cream.
“To have ice cream and the way it could tie into culture and pop culture and music, this is so fun for me,” Rudensky said. “We explore what comes our way and what opportunity I can come up with, I just have to be inspired.”
With fan bases in almost everything (industries, creative areas, sports) the opportunities appear endless for Rudensky and her team.
“There’s community around so many different types of things, so I think it’s really fun to constantly think about that and explore different ways to work with people,” Rudensky said.
