Words by Jeffrey Arthur
After taking the music industry by storm, Travis Scott landed a spot on Forbes‘ influential list — now, he’s on a mission to change how companies think about their brands.
Gone are the days when rappers and celebrities were just…rappers and celebrities. These days, aside from touring the world and making millions, they’ve become modern-day messiahs with legions of followers across the globe; and with that leverage comes entrepreneurial opportunities.
Few have made better use of such opportunities than Jacques Berman Webster (or Travis Scott, to you and I). Whilst most young stars fall victim to the inexperience and cockiness of youth, he’s managed to navigate the perils of fame with relative success – and he’s done it by being himself.
That self, his music, and his ability to connect with millions of fans across the world landed him a spot on Forbes‘ acclaimed 30 Under 30 list three years ago. Now, after working to change how companies think about their brands and interact with celebrities, he’s earned the top cover spot on this year’s list.
“Corporate America’s brand whisperer”
…in his latest cover story, that’s what Forbes called him – and they’re not wrong. He’s 28, insanely successful, and in his latest efforts is becoming quite the entrepreneurial force. For years, brands have been telling celebrities what to d, in order to sell their brand or products; instead of following the traditional model, Travis Scott is doing it his own way. By working for and within brands, Scott is carving out his own independent template for success: “Those guys are allowing us to really dive in and create our own world,” he says.
And for a guy with an expensive taste, you might think his choice of brands to work with is few and far between. But his roster of brands is as impressive as it is varied. Whether working with Epic Games and the likes of PlayStation or advising McDonald’s on the best ways to increase their appeal, he’s using his status as a “cultural icon” to rethink how companies can best attract their target audiences. For example, instead of accepting instructions from the makers of Fortnite on how to brand their product, he came up with his own solution: a live concert within the game, which drew 12 million players. For the makers of the Big Mac, he came up with his own menu, sending younger fans rushing into branches across the world.
Long gone are days when rappers were looked down on by some as nothing more than mere entertainers. In this age, their cultural influence – and ability to leverage the use of technology and social media – is second to none.
Whilst his rise to fame and fortune might seem sudden to some, to others, it’s been a long time coming. By working on album’s such as Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, he picked up skills and learned the basics of building a successful career as an artist.
His relationship with Kylie Jenner meant close proximity to his mentor, Kanye West – something Scott seems to have taken advantage of. By no means did the Kardashian machine make him, but it did help in allowing him to reach new fans and audiences (and, of course, new brands).
With increasingly popular music and his image a bona fide culture icon secured, Scott’s ambitions to extend his influence only became more radical as his fame grew. For sneakerheads, his Cactus Jack brand, produced in collaboration with Nike, became must-haves. Even with prices ranging from $400 to $22,500, his line of trainers continues to perform – proving Scott’s influence on young people across the world.
This year, he’s on track to earn $100 million dollars – proving his rare ability to spot what the customer wants, as opposed to what the brand thinks the customer wants. Whether injecting cool into Fornite or dreaming up a refreshed menu for McDonald’s, Travis Scott is carving out innumerable profitable ventures and cementing his place in society’s Upper Echelon.
Or, as he puts it: “The vibe’s too wavy, it’s too hard to kill.”