Industry outsiders become mainstream trendsetters

The Future. While social media has opened up the creator economy — and given a platform to talent who may have otherwise gone undiscovered — many young creators are still appropriated and underpaid. If brands want to harness the creative power that often exists outside mainstream culture, they might consider working with (and within) those communities rather than imitating them.

Necessity is the mother of invention
The creative output that breaks new ground can sometimes stem from a lack of resources.

• Spray cans and NYC subways birthed street art, which now holds a lot of value in the contemporary art world. Likewise, streetwear and hip-hop have had profound influences on fashion and music.

• Early 2000s grime pirate radio stations not only created a new genre but also a new generation of British talent who shifted the music scene away from indie-driven band culture towards solo artistry.

Young, enterprising, and visionary
Decode argues that it could be the spatial or social deprivation of the inner city that produces out-of-the-box thinking and raw creative expression. But it’s the young, hustle-minded creators from those environments who are usually driving cultural trends.

Brands would be wise to invest in and partner with the source of that creative cool.