The New Trust Economy. Let's talk Streamers, Taste, and Access
In an increasingly AI, algo world - trust with Gen Z and Gen Alpha is hard earned through consistency and by following the language of culture and social platforms.
We talk a lot about attention, but trust and authenticity is the real currency. This week’s newsletter dives into who actually holds GenZ and Alpha trust. Yes it’s streamers, gamers, and creators. But we’ll dive into how they earned it, how they keep it and what brands can learn about credibility in the chaotic, algorithm-driven world.
🎮Streaming and being Human
In this week’s Link In Bio, Rachel Karten spent a week immersing herself in the world of streaming. Nope, not Disney+ or Netflix ‘streaming’ - but the world of YT streaming (think equal parts Truman Show, twitch stream and an endless hangout with your friends). Kartens’ gateway to this streaming universe is IShowSpeed (otherwise known as ‘Speed’) I wrote about him here too and still stand by the predictions.
ANYWAY, Speed wrapped up a 35-day tour across the U.S. with daily livestreams, surprise guests (from NBA stars to politicians), to launch his brand new YT series IShowSpeed Goes Pro (sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods). A show about Speed training and competing with professional athletes such as Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Suni Lee and more.
You might be thinking, sure this is cool - but what does this have to do with trust? Well, for that we’d have to take a step back.
Speed’s rise to fame has actually been pretty tumultuous but to summarize - his appeal largely comes from his extraverted and impulsive behavior (be it his energetic and somewhat profane outburst on Twitch or YT streams) and his ability to take accountability (often apologizing to other streamers and even to fans after racist remarks or heated arguments). So to put it simply - he’s charismatically human. He lives in a unique space that is almost counter to the algorithm - the hook is that he’s living a loud, yet authentic life. His curiosity for people and sharing in new experiences is infectious.
So what does this mean for brands and what can we learn from?
They show up every day. Streamers build intimacy through consistency, not polish. Their audiences trust them because they’re present, flawed, spontaneous, and real. For brands: trust isn’t built at the campaign launch it’s earned in the in-between moments.
They give control, not messaging. Speed decides how, when, and where a partnership appears in his world. The more creative freedom a brand gives, the more credible the integration feels. Brands need to be comfortable being a PART of someone else’s world - not always at the center of it.
They blur “creator” and “community.” Streamers don’t talk at audiences - they talk with them. Live chat, inside jokes, and recurring memes turn viewership into participation. For brands, that means designing activations that invite fans to co-create or react in real time.
They play the long game. Speed’s community didn’t form overnight. He has been creating since 2016. It’s the cumulative effect of years of interaction and shared lore. Brands need to remember that trust is relational equity built over time.
They treat clips as culture currency. Every stream moment is potential meme. Streamers like Kai Cenat, Valkyrae, and Pokimane know their audiences will clip and circulate key beats - amplifying through community validation, not paid promotion. If you only focus on the ‘big spot’ remember that it’s the little pieces that travel.
🔑 What It Means for Brands
Streamers have cracked the code on modern trust: show up often, share control, invite participation, and let the audience carry the story. The takeaway? Trust is more than a KPI, it’s the foundation.
🍸 Taste, Curation, and Access: The Other Trust Loop
If streamers build trust through personality brands can build it through taste.
When you’re younger, you’re figuring out what you like and don’t like. Discovering new things and developing taste is how they signal identity, and curation is how they find belonging. In an endless scroll of sameness - brands that stand out are able to create AND curate. They create safe spaces to escape, explore and to feel seen.
✅ How Taste and Curation Builds Trust
Modern curation is platform-native and participatory. Younger audiences trust voices that understand their language. Brands like Gap, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Coach have earned cultural trust through collabs, visual storytelling and created unique aesthetic experiences. But this goes WAY beyond beautiful editorial or a “celeb” ambassador. They curate a POV that is unique to the platform. Loewe continues to boast one of the highest engagement rates and continues to rank as one of the top hottest brands. Why? Cause they get social.
When in doubt, give access. For Gen Z, access to moments, experiences, and people signals status more than ownership. Brands that are willing to create mini-worlds for fans to explore, participate or co-create in both virtually or in real life builds trust. This goes back to participation and need for community - the idea that a brand is facilitating an experience vs. the brand being ‘the center’ of it, can build trust.
Think 1:1. Be SPECIFIC. The bigger a brand gets, the harder it is to build trust. Start with a brand value and then find ways to bring that value to life within each of the micro-communities that exist WITHIN that broader community. Complex’s Sneaker Shopping, or Netflix bites are all very smart ways to reinforce credibility within segments.
Enable identity and discovery. Gen Alpha’s favorite “cool” brands - YouTube, Netflix, LEGO all provide discovery and expression within a structure. They offer just enough variety to give choice so that they can express identity and imagination. For example - everyone’s algo is slightly different or lego builds are different. Each of these brands is predictably “good” while still leaving room for choice. A nice balance of comfort and control.
📰 HEADLINES
If you want community you’ve gotta pay - more and more members only clubs will pop up- as people seek third spaces.
Life after the iphone? This article digs into the new rise of more ‘intentional’ internet/ smart phone use and the pull to be both connected yet offline.
Social is not so social anymore. I keep saying this over and over. Gaming is social. Social media IS media. Anyway, I’m going to dig into this topic next week. Specifically about the growing divide between the online and offline communities.
Meme fashion or “novelty” as a way to stand out is getting a bit tired. What’s next?
I stand by this. Everyone needs to be a creator. Journalists are switching cameras front facing to get their message out.
Now let me leave you with this:
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