It is a little troubling when marketers are more interested in student work than schools themselves.

Advertising Age – Digital – Want to Build a Hipper Brand? Take a Trip to Trend School:

Real school was never this cool.

Aaron aired an art film and talked up his favorite Jordan sneakers and Nike ACG jacket. Jennie unwrapped a self-styled hand-knit Bart Simpson blanket and needlepoint artwork, just before Alex showed off photographs he took in Cambodia, including one set for exhibition in a Swiss art gallery. Six years of classical piano and two years of electronics lessons brought A.J. here with a recently composed digital-music sample. James revealed his blogs, the newest featuring his cellphone number and an invitation to text him a story. Mauricia earned a round of applause for her passionate reading of an original poem.

The cooler-than-you-ever-were panel of 16- to 25-year-olds capped off the day for attendees at Trend School, a monthly one-day forum created by Creative Artists Agency’s Intelligence Group at New York’s Soho House.