Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Major Themes
Personalities
Brand Activations
Notable Sessions
Brand Takeaways
From advanced robots like Jibo and Sophia, to simpler devices like Alexa,
artificial intelligence and robotics were a hot topic at SXSW 2016. Aside
from technical challenges of developing machines that can recognize
emotions and respond adequately, human adoption of interacting with
machines has also been cited as a challenge. However, the success of
Alexa among various age groups including kids has bolstered excitement
around whats possible.
1-1 MODELING
MESSENGER APPS
Scalable communication with consumers is expanding from a pure 1-tomany to a 1-to-1 model, which makes room for more personalized
and tailored messaging from brands to consumers. As of now, messenger
apps are one of the very few spaces where ads have not been introduced
yet and brand activations, for the most part, provide value to the users.
Messengers are more personal than social platforms and marketers should
keep this intimate nature in mind when planning to enter the space.
MASHABLE + QUALCOMMS
INVISIBLE MUSEUM
SONYS INTERACTIVE
TABLETOP
Sonys Future Lab gave SXSW visitors an inside look at beta technology
with an Interactive Tabletop. One new tool shared was an interactive
projector that could recognize objects, such as characters in a childrens
book. The user could then interact with the characters in the book, i.e.
move them around, to literally make the story come to life.
Client USA Network re-created part of a key location from its hit show Mr.
Robot for an eye-catching SXSW experience. The activation took the form
of a giant Coney Island Ferris Wheel. This activation managed to be highly
visible to everyone at SXSW, while staying highly relevant to the show and
its fans.
This panel covered ways brands have taken a stand on body image and
gender in recent campaigns and what made them successful. The panel
touched on how marketers need to take time to listen to their audiences
and then shape communications to be authentic reflections of the actual
audience, not the aspirational one, or who they think the audience wants
to be or who the brand wants them to be. Panelists also touched on the
need to take time deliberating over what conversations the brand should
have and what level of authority they have to join them. Lastly, the
session addressed how marketers should involve the consumer rather
than speak at them, and understand the why enough to do so.
THE COMMUNICATION
LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING.
AGAIN.
The popularity of messenger apps and livestreaming indicate that
diversifying the ways brands talk to their core and niche audiences is
crucial to reaching the right people. Ask yourself, are you hosting events
that could gain value from being livestreamed? Do you have an audience
that may want to hear from your brand on messaging apps? What sort of
content best delivers your message in these mediums?
PRACTICE A MINDFUL
APPROACH TO NEW
TECHNOLOGIES
When exploring VR, IoT or any innovative technology, think about its
purpose for the brand and connection to consumers. How can you tie a VR
experience back to your brand in a relevant way that brings value to a
consumers life? What type of experience would you bring to a consumer if
time and space were no object and why would they want to experience it?