of The Mastermind Group, a Dallas-based marketing consultancy, has been at the vanguard of many brand movements, including Motorola’s infamous two-way pager, which became the prerequisite, must-have
device for the urban hustler. He’s also worked with the automotive industry
and offered his expertise in the soft drink category, working on the classic
Sprite brand. Patton’s greatest contribution, however, was serving as the marketing head for Michael Jordan’s Brand Jordan team. There he assisted with the creation of the incredibly successful offshoot of Nike and the cult sneaker phenomena that subsequently emerged.
In his new book, Under The Influence:
Tracing the Hip-Hop Generation’s Impact on Sports and Pop Culture,
Patton documents the vital role that hip-hop has played in creating
iconic brands, influencing mainstream consumer behavior and redefining
pop culture overall.
According to Patton, as hip-hoppers
are maturing into the traditional marketing sweet spot of
35 to 49 year olds, they are taking with them the sensibilities, aesthetics
and values shaped by hip-hop. “Individuals who took creativity, ingenuity
and really redefined the American Dream along the way,” he explains.
He advises marketers to become familiar with the hip-hop culture and understand its influence in order to effectively reach this demographic. Patton expresses that his book is just the resource they need. —stanley yorker
