Culture Is Currency: Why Your Roots Are the Key to Your Brand Power

When we think about what drives today’s trends from music and fashion to slang and social media, one truth always rises to the surface: culture starts with us. Black and brown communities set the tone for what’s “cool,” what’s marketable, and what eventually makes its way into mainstream spaces. Yet too often, BIPOC creators are the last to be credited, valued, or compensated for what we’ve been building for years.

The truth is this: culture is currency. And when you learn how to own it, protect it, and build with it, you turn your roots into your brand’s most powerful asset.

Culture Drives the Economy

Hip hop didn’t just change music, it transformed global marketing. Sneaker culture, born in Black and brown neighborhoods, now fuels billion-dollar collaborations. Natural hair movements started by women who were told their beauty didn’t fit the standard are now the foundation of thriving beauty industries.

These aren’t just “trends.” They are proof that when BIPOC communities create, the world follows. That means your creativity, traditions, and voice are not secondary, they are essential.

Your Identity Is Your Differentiator

In a marketplace crowded with copycat brands and recycled ideas, the one thing no one can duplicate is you.

• Your background.

• Your perspective.

• Your lived experiences.

  
  

These elements make your brand memorable and magnetic. The way you tell your story, the cultural lens you bring, and the community you speak to are the very things that attract opportunities. Instead of downplaying them, highlight them.

Owning Your Narrative

Too many times, brands profit from our culture without crediting us. The difference between being “inspired by culture” and owning your culture is positioning yourself as the voice of authority.

That means:

• Speaking boldly about your heritage in your brand story.

• Protecting your intellectual property.

• Aligning with partnerships that respect your values.

• Ensuring your creativity is tied back to your name, not just “the trend.”

  
  

When you own your narrative, you not only protect your legacy but also create pathways for others who look like you to step in confidently.

From Roots to Revenue

Your roots don’t just give you identity, they give you strategy. Here’s how to leverage them:

1. Lead with your story. Infuse your culture into your branding, marketing, and media presence.

2. Build community. People who share your cultural lens will feel seen and heard — and they’ll stick with you.

3. Educate & elevate. Don’t just create products; show the history, inspiration, and significance behind them.

4. Monetize intentionally. Culture deserves to be compensated through speaking engagements, partnerships, media features, or selling products/services.

   
   

Your roots are not something to hide, dilute, or “tone down” for the marketplace. They are your competitive advantage. They are your source of creativity. They are your proof that you belong at the table, or better yet, at the head of it.

Remember this: Culture is currency, and when you embrace it, you don’t just create a brand, you create a legacy.

Article by: Lee K. Whetstone, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Purpose and Brand Marketing Coach