South by Southwest brings nearly half a million people to the city of Austin, Texas, each spring for its sprawling series of conferences and festivals. For many marketing professionals, it’s a tentpole event on par with CES or Cannes Lions–but offering a different audience and focus. While CES showcases futuristic tech and serves as a…
Walking around Austin, Texas, during South by Southwest this year, Rivian was nearly omnipresent. That’s due to a two-year headlining sponsorship deal that Rivian inked with SXSW in December. The singular headline sponsor is a new model for SXSW, which has tiers of sponsorships for brands to choose from, and generally has several in the…
Brand activations are a big part of South by Southwest, but it takes a lot to stand out in the midst of such a busy, crowded event. And while nothing from this year’s slate of experiential stunts were as elaborate and creative as some of the greatest hits from the pre-pandemic years, there was still…
South by Southwest, a sprawling series of conferences and festivals that takes place over 10 days each spring in Austin, Texas, kicked off on March 7. In addition to music, film, tech innovation, and celebrity speakers, the event has come to be known for over-the-top brand activations that take over parking lots, music venues, restaurants,…
Ground control to Major Elmo–may Big Bird’s luck be with you on your long flight to Europa. Sesame Street’s big-hearted, red-furred Muppet is one of the terrestrials aboard the Europa Clipper, a NASA spacecraft that’s currently soaring through outer space on a six-year mission to Jupiter’s iciest moon. But don’t worry, kids: Elmo is aboard…
Accenture Song had two things to show me, both tucked into the corner of a building where the non-profit thinktank SeedAI was hosting an AI showcase at SXSW in Austin, TX. The first was in a small, silver room with a single computer. “When our lawyers saw this, they told us not to release it,”…
Accenture Song had two things to show me, both tucked into the corner of a building where the non-profit thinktank SeedAI was hosting an AI showcase at SXSW in Austin, TX. The first was in a small, silver room with a single computer. “When our lawyers saw this, they told us not to release it,”…
In a sea of waste-heavy and formulaic activations at South by Southwest (SXSW), the Delta Lounge–one of the 2024 festival’s buzziest experiential marketing installations–aimed to buck some of the trends that have shaped brand activity at the event in recent years. With its focus on delivering a luxury experience to all SkyMiles members, new and…
Austin, Texas, is brimming with brand activity this week as South by Southwest (SXSW), the annual series of festivals and conferences, takes over the capital city. In its 37th year, the event is known for major tech launches, movie and documentary premieres, a first look at up-and-coming musicians and a plethora of knowledge on its…
In this special episode, we dive into the campaign to end the advertising industry’s fossil fuel addiction–and how activists showed up at SXSW. Recorded live on stage during the festival this March, sustainability editor Kathryn Lundstrom speaks with Duncan Meisel, executive director of Clean Creatives and one of Adweek’s 2023 Sustainability Honorees. Stream the new…
In this special episode, we flashback to March where sustainability editor Kathryn Lundstrom and digital editor Colin Daniels recorded a very special episode of the podcast live from South by Southwest. During the conversation, they give on-the-ground insights and share their experiences from behind-the-scenes at major brand activations and experiential marketing stunts. Adweek’s 2023 Sustainability…
Ken A. Meyer began working at Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, Ore. in 2002, two years after being diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a life threatening autoimmune disorder that thickens and hardens the skin and internal organs. 10 years ago, he asked the agency to help him make a film about his experience and how he’s found comfort…
Sustainability and environmental issues have been a part of South by Southwest’s focus for more than a decade–and this year was no different, with brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Patagonia and Slack bringing green messaging to the Texas capital through more creative mediums. Since former U.S. vice president Al Gore gave a keynote on climate…
When Roku decided to head to SXSW for the first time, it didn’t just bring a small team–it created an entire purple-drenched city occupied by friendly monsters. And it all started with one well-known screensaver. For March 11-12, the streaming platform invited festivalgoers inside Roku City, an immersive look into the vibrant cityscape known by…
South By Southwest has effectively taken over the streets of Austin, Texas. With brand activations spilling out of bars, restaurants, parking lots and venues, and hundreds of celebrated founders, marketers and tech savants speaking on panels in and around the city’s downtown hotels and convention center, the excited buzz of the festival is palpable throughout…
South By Southwest, the annual conference and festival series spanning tech, art, music, film and comedy, kicks off this weekend in Austin, Texas. Known for startup launches, tech innovation and over-the-top brand activations, the conference component draws major talent across the ad industry. Panels are stocked with celebrated marketers from Unilever, Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s,…
After 35 years in the business, South by Southwest is going global. The Austin, Texas-based conglomeration of festivals–which spans music, tech, film and gaming–is expanding to Australia in 2023. In partnership with the government of New South Wales and Australian music production company TEG, the first SXSW Sydney will run from October 15-22, 2023. In…
Superheroes are descending on Austin, Texas. Ally Financial teamed up with DC Comics and WarnerMedia on a yearlong initiative to celebrate, elevate and support diverse creators across art, entertainment and fashion, and the partnership will kick off at South by Southwest with an immersive augmented reality experience on Snapchat. “Milestone ARchives” was developed by R/GA,…
The Sandbox is partnering with Paris Hilton in the metaverse platform’s ongoing quest to better integrate itself into mainstream entertainment culture. The company announced the partnership with a DJ set performed by Hilton at the South By Southwest culture and technology festival in Austin this week. The deal, inked between the Animoca Brands-owned metaverse company…
AUSTIN, Texas–South by Southwest is back. The conglomeration of festivals–spanning tech, music, film, gaming and education–drew more than 400,000 to Austin, Texas in 2019. In 2020, it was canceled days before it was slated to begin. In 2021 it was pared down, all-virtual experiment. This year, the event returns in full force, along with some…
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