While the forthcoming Oasis reunion has dominated the headlines, Cool Britannia feels like a lifetime ago.

In fact, research suggests that Pride in Britain’s history has hit an all-time low. According to the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) there has been a sharp decline in national pride both in the last decade and since surveying began in 1995. Those who said they would rather be a British citizen than any other country fell sharply by 20 per cent from 69 per cent in 1995 to 49 per cent in 2023.

‘Britishcore’ might be trending on TikTok, but are videos of eating Greggs sausage rolls, lip-synching to Towie stars and taking the piss of the Oasis reunion really enough of a cultural renaissance for Britain?

In search of more of a traffic cone or a dingy pub as a symbol that Britannia is still cool, we asked creative leaders how the creative industries can reignite British pride.

Increased diversity within the arts and creative industries in Britain is reshaping the narrative of what it means to be British. As artists from various ethnic backgrounds, identities, and experiences gain visibility, they bring fresh perspectives that challenge the traditional, often narrow, definitions of Britishness. This diversification of voices allows for a more inclusive and representative cultural landscape, where stories of migration, resilience, and multiculturalism are celebrated.

In response to Britain’s complex history - marked by colonialism and exclusion - these creatives are reclaiming and redefining their heritage. Through music, film, literature, and visual arts, they confront historical injustices and highlight the richness of their cultures. By doing so, they assert a sense of pride in their identities and contributions to British society.

Not only does this empower marginalised communities, it also educates and enriches the broader public. It emphasises that being British is not a monolithic experience but a tapestry woven from diverse strands of history and culture. In this way, the arts serve as a powerful tool for healing, dialogue, and celebration, allowing creatives to take ownership of their heritage and contribute to a more inclusive and proud vision of Britain.

The ‘Great’ has sadly departed Britain, our confidence & pride is ebbing at an all-time low. Looking back to the 90s when Cool Britannia ruled the roost, we rode the crest of a wave of ‘optimism’. Tony Blair’s new Labour, Oasis, Blur and the Christ even the Spice Girls added a sense of energy and excitement of a like we’ve not seen since. We’ve had our annus horribilis, with the unwanted nightmare trilogy of Covid, Brexit and war in the Ukraine.

Can the Oasis revival and Sir Keir Starmer’s new Labour government help to fire up the embers? One of our greatest characteristics is that we have always found ways to overcome adversity in the world. What can we do to make Britain great again? As a small island we’ve always managed to use creativity as a superpower to make a big dent in the world. Punching above our weight like few others.

Our creativity and innovation has served us well. Now is the time to unlock that latent potential through the arts, engineering and innovation. We need to see the power of Great British music, theatre, art, design, engineering and film come to the fore and help us out of this hole. We’ve done it before and our core DNA bleeds resilience, we tend to come out fighting with a smile on our face. Great British creativity travels the world well; at times like this, we as creatives need to fuel the fire and set the engines roaring once again.

Cool Britannia specifically was a pop culture moment, so by its nature it is fleeting, and things change. I think we are more connected now; we bring in other references, we know more about other cultures and have access to brands and artists from other countries. Young people are more open and way more connected.

A lot of the brands at the forefront of fashion in that period - or those being worn by the figure heads of the movement - were British: Fred Perry, Dr Martens, Kangol, Reebok, Clarks. Today, pop culture has more global influences. Aime Leon Dore having its say on British streetwear, while clearly being a brand from Queens, NYC, is a great example of this. 

Perhaps there’s not such a cool, memorable title for it, but British brands still lead from the front - they just look different these days. Think of the cultural impact of Corteiz, or how Clarks and Dr Martens continually re-invented themselves over time, still delivering a contemporary Britishness through their comms - it just looks different, it’s more global. Perhaps cool Britishness is less ballsy and tribal in tonality, less Vivienne Westwood, more Grace Wales Bonner!

We work with a supplement brand who told us how British supplements are seen as trusted and premium in US and Asian markets. So for them we had to shoot in London, and convey a clear Britishness, so perhaps our exports have changed, and there are different spaces in which we are leading from the front or should be proud of.

I think sub-cultures also work very differently these days, and brands have more success in niches. Movements like Brit Pop or Cool Britannia don’t feel as omni-present as they may have felt back in the day, because they are one of many. For example, bloke-core is still a thing; Stone Island, a football shirt and an old school sneaker, that feels very Brit Pop, but people aren’t all-in, they will dress differently the next day.

I think people don’t always immerse themselves wholeheartedly in movements, probably because they are exposed to so much choice and so many options. Cool Britannia hasn’t necessarily gone anywhere - it just looks different today.

Since Cool Britannia cool has changed beyond all recognition. 

90s Brit culture celebrated hedonism. Lads and ladettes ruled. 

It’s fun to revisit that era with rose-tinted glasses. But we’ve realised it wasn’t cool for everyone. Some people were excluded from or harmed by the hedonism.

 A generation later we still have one of the finest creative industries in the world (in spite of everything). And British culture is getting more conscious of equality, fairness and difference.

We’re not there yet. But things have improved. 

Whatever their discipline, creatives celebrate things we should be proud of. And raise positive consciousness where things need rethinking.

Creatives can help redefine cool for a more modern Britain.

We have so much to be proud of. A cultural scene that’s expanding beyond London to every corner of the UK. A festival season that showcases ever-more diverse homegrown talent. And Team GB’s Paralympians coming home with 124 medals.

Now what can be cooler than that?