We just got back from a very intense and wonderful few days in Austin, where we attended SXSW Interactive. Here are my notes:
SXSW Interactive is more “business” than “social” now. It used to feel like Spring Break a decade ago. But then we got older, we started going to bed earlier, we spend a lot more money – we have a professional focus that wasn’t there before.
Laura and Alex at the Gapingvoid booth.
Don’t even try to fit everything in. No longer possible.
Gapingvoid founder/CEO Jason Korman on the right.
Don’t for a second think that your little piece of cute, impromptu guerrilla marketing is going to move the needle. People are just way too over-programmed and in a hurry to pay attention to any of that. Sure, you may get lucky, but the odds are similar to buying a winning lottery ticket…
The Unofficial SXSW T-shirt.
That said, if you want to have an impact, it feels like you need to have lots of touch points. We did a large Interactive booth, a smaller participation at the SXSW Health & Medtech Expo (which is on fire, btw) a live streamed interview with @Brian Solis at the at the PayPal Social Media Lounge, and a talk about Art as Strategy in one of the large conference halls.
Brian Solis and Hugh MacLeod signing “Innovation Begins Here” posters.
Oh, let’s not forget some massive flyposting around Austin as well… you know we need to keep our edge. 😉
Taking over downtown Austin.
In total we were able to touch thousands of people, but without all of the supporting activities, it feels like it would have been much less successful.
Brian and Hugh being interviewed at PayPal’s Social Media Lounge.
One of the more interesting panels I went to was a breakfast panel on growth on Asia, put together by my old friend Stephanie Agresta and her team at MSLGroup.
Most Americans are still blissfully unaware about just how vast the changes coming from the East will be to all of us, and I found it very sobering.
Hugh speaking; “How Art Affects Strategy.”
SXSW attracts thousands of like minded people who are willing and able to give up a week of their lives to immerse themselves in learning and experiencing new things.
The team at ImageThink livedrawing.
Hugh with the ImageThink team.
There is still nothing like it. It is awesome.
Our SXSW Interactive booth.
Stay tuned: Our first SXSW e-book: 25 Things You Missed at SXSW, partnered with @Brian Solis, will be released later this week. Nearly 30 awesome images and really cool stories by Brian.
