There are many companies who have built successful businesses around their proximity to Black culture and other subcultures, with the clear aim of driving audiences to tap into their offerings. This often comes in the form of activations in communities, private events at zeitgeist venues, star-studded pop-up launches and a multitude of IG-worthy moments designed to feed the algorithm, drive mainstream adoption and loyalty, and create a sustainable business.

Many brands that shift the needle in their respective fields—be it fashion, tech or beauty—activate their audiences for product launches using methods outlined above. Great for the ‘gram and for those in attendance, fruitful for the creatives who are paid to put events together, and boxes ticked for the corporate execs tasked with broadening the brand’s appeal. My first question is: do one-off events that can cost six figures provide the creative community with real support, or could the money go to better use? If brands can afford to promote themselves so vividly and at significant cost, how can they also pay it forward into those communities more over a longer period of time?

To take it further, what could it look like if brands paused on moment hunting, and poured those budgets into creating more third spaces and partnerships? What if brands came together and built within the communities in most need, so the kids saving up for their product can go somewhere and indulge in learning how to make it, contributing to creativity in a tangible and useful way?

Brand strategist and entrepreneur Amanda Sabreah raised similar discourse recently in relation to the streetwear brand Noah, whose founder said in an interview with Recho Omondi from The Cutting Room Floor: “We were never streetwear.” This stance has alarmed buyers who bought into the ex-Supreme designer’s brand based on the basketball/skate park aesthetic previously seen in their advertising. However, Sabreah points out that brand isolation is seen often when white founders who are adjacent to, inspired by or rooted in Black culture rebrand and reframe, distancing themselves once they’ve built relevance and end up using statements such as the one given by the Noah founder.

The antidote is that there are some noteworthy brands who proactively operate in ways which support the bedrock of the communities from which they stand to profit. Former TRENCH cover star DJ AG is a beacon in this space. The people’s DJ has created a unique and consistent connection with audiences, largely in part to his unwavering determination to pour into artists at all levels, breaking down barriers between communities and creating bridges to foster priceless human connections. And when he works with major brands, it’s evident that they too have to come in line with his vision.

Peak, the groundbreaking Mood drinks company, is another example of a brand that has focused its inception on fuelling creativity. They’ve given away over 100,000 cans of their popular ‘Calm’ and ‘Hype’ variants at creator-led events, studios and other creative locations, becoming synonymous with art and music through meaningful collaborations.

Beau Beaus café and studio—created by the dynamic couple Slawn and Talula—is a community space where young creatives can attend free seminars and classes led by guest experts. Beau Beaus have a variety of community club events every week, one of which included Art Club with Teoni Hinds, now relocated to the Peak x Sondr creative space in North London. Other clubs at Beau Beaus include Movie Night, as well as a new wellness space and a producer club, the latter set up to provide a hub for producers who may experience loneliness while they nurture their talent. With creative development at its heart, Beau Beaus has become a place where creatives can go to feel empowered.

It’s a brand’s responsibility to create honest reflections of their values in campaigns so that those buying into it can do so with their eyes wide open. And, if those same brands intentionally invest back into their audiences through substantial community activations, we will find ourselves in a healthy 360 loop of sustainable creation that drives culture forward.