How Travis Scott Took Over Adweek's Cover

When we asked Travis Scott to appear on Adweek's May 3 cover, the multi-hyphenate star didn't just say yes. He said he wanted to take over the cover. And so for the first time in my six years at the magazine, we handed the keys over to Scott and his creative team at Cactus Jack, which is doing incredible work that straddles the branding and entertainment worlds. Our only rules: 1. Scott's face should be visible. 2. He should do literally anything else he wanted. Then everything went silent. Three weeks later, he delivered the cover you see today. Yes, he broke one rule, but no one is complaining. While you might not make out Scott's face on the cover, his thumbprint is all over it—it's awash in the vibrant imagery (thank you to photographer rayscorruptedmind), bold graphics and genre-defying energy that he's so well-known for. The first time I saw Scott perform was under the Spotify tent in Cannes in 2018. I didn't know his music well at the time—although he was already a global star—but that didn't matter. He brought an unmistakable energy to the stage, even jumping down to dance furiously with us in the crowd. It wasn't a concert; it was an experience. Since then, it's been incredible to watch him bring that electrifying ability to connect with people en masse to multiple creative arenas. Lucky for our readers, he'll grace our stage at Social Media Week New York (#SMWNYC) this week. The summit is in its 13th year and the first year as part of the Adweek family. SMW co-founder and chief innovation officer Toby Daniels and his team have pulled together an incredible lineup for the event. Over 5,000 professionals in marketing and social media will gather virtually to hear 100 speakers. On Thursday at 6 p.m., we'll honor Scott as Creator Visionary of the Year along with 26 other innovators for their groundbreaking work. It's not too late to get a ticket. Read more about Scott's creative journey (including the process of creating and branding his own drink, Cacti, with Anheuser-Busch). Adweek's creative and inclusion editor Shannon Miller brings her illuminating interview with the star to this issue. And do some trendspotting when you read about 2021's most interesting, boundary-pushing social media pros. If this takeover has taught us anything, it's this: Visionaries break rules. Visionaries blur boundaries. Visionaries take something you've created and reflect it back in a new light. From the whole Adweek team, we hope you enjoy this issue and this week of stellar programming.

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How Travis Scott Took Over Adweek's Cover

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Stephanie Paterik

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Stephanie Paterik