Industry Leaders Reveal the Truth About Culture, Community & Influence

Engine Pop
Jan 12
3 min read

Inside the evolving ecosystem of authentic influence, cultural power and community-led storytelling

What does influence really mean? For the creators and cultural leaders featured in this exclusive SXSW London 2025 panel, hosted by Engine Pop’s Athena Witter, it is no longer about clout. It is about resonance.

SXSW London - Wrap Summary

Joined by producer Jake Gosling, creative strategist Nadu Placca Rodriguez and filmmaker Luke Hyams, this conversation unpacked the changing nature of influence, from sound and events to storytelling and strategy.

The shift from audience size to audience depth

“There’s a difference between building an audience and building a movement,” said Athena Witter in her opening. “Eighty-eight percent of people trust people more than brands. We’re looking at a shift in how and why people engage.”

The panellists agreed that follower counts do not equate to impact. In a time when advertising costs are rising, creators who build cultural relevance, not just visibility, will lead the next wave.

Authenticity still wins

Jake Gosling described how creating a unique sound with Ed Sheeran involved fusing folk, hip-hop and grime at a time when labels did not know how to place it. “You’ve got to find your own lane,” he said. “People copy what works. But real influence comes from doing what no one else is doing. It has to come from what you love.”

Events as influence infrastructure

For Nadu Placca Rodriguez, event strategy is about far more than logistics.

“It’s not just the day,” she said. “You’ve got to engage people before, during and long after. If you plan the full experience arc, you turn a single moment into a cultural statement.”

She emphasised the power of pre-engagement and post-event continuity. “That’s where community lives – not in the tickets, but in the time between.”

Culture grows from specificity, not generality

Luke Hyams brought deep insight from his work across YouTube Originals and Netflix.

“When we tried to make shows that appealed to everyone, nobody watched them,” he explained. “But when we built something hyper-targeted, like The Sidemen Story, it worked. People care about passion points, not mass appeal.”

That principle now guides the creative ethos of his company, Pangea, which centres storytelling around shared cultural interests rather than geography.

The influence feedback loop

“You don’t wait for focus groups anymore,” Luke said. “You make the thing, put it out, and the audience tells you instantly whether it works.”

Jake added that what makes a track resonate has less to do with polish and more to do with emotional honesty. “The songs people remember – the ones they play at weddings or funerals – those aren’t perfect. They’re human.”

Who gets to lead?

Athena raised the point that paid visibility still shapes who is seen and heard.

“Brands still often dictate who gets the spotlight,” said Nadu. “But communities are beginning to lead with their own voices. The brands that win will be the ones who follow that energy, not try to control it.”

She challenged brands to step back and let individuals lead. “Support creators who already have something to say. That’s how we shift the industry.”

The unspoken truth

“There’s so much money behind what you’re seeing,” said Jake. “Media, advertising, algorithms – everything is designed to sell you something. It’s constant.”

Luke agreed. “The industry isn’t in crisis. It’s transitioning. The gravity is shifting away from media institutions and towards individual creators.”

And that truth is not something everyone wants to admit, but it is reshaping storytelling, business models and influence itself.