DDB Worldwide Returns to Austin, Texas for SXSW 2017
DDB Worldwide announced today a robust lineup of activities at the 2017 SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas from Friday, March 10th through Sunday, March 19th. The agency’s DDB Does Austin platform will once again be the content hub where online visitors will be able to receive live reports on industry trends, including the role of creativity, emerging technology, and the future of advertising. Tribal Worldwide and We Are Unlimited, two DDB-affiliated agencies, will also participate in programming at the festival that will be highlighted on the platform.
For a full list of events, see below:
Saturday, March 11
Time: 2:00pm–3:00pm
Location: JW Marriott, 110 E. 2nd St., Room 207
Panelists: Cheryl Horsfall (ECD, DDB New York) and Alexander Rea (Creative Technology Officer, DDB New York)
Overview: Good ideas and innovation can change lives and improve health, social conditions, and understanding. Good ideas are NOT like children: They should be seen and heard, especially in their infancy. They need the right shaping to reach their full potential, then they need to be guided toward the people they can help most. Let's mind-meld for the greater good. Meet up with some of the creative brains of DDB, the agency that used AR to help non-migraine sufferers understand the condition, created a drinkable book that filters unsafe water, developed the “Check It Before It’s Removed” social activation to raise awareness of breast cancer, and used WhatsApp to let parents speak to hospitalised children through stuffed animals. Let's meet up and do some good. Also, beer.
Is Authenticity in Advertising Possible?
Presented by Bazaarvoice
Time: 3:30pm–4:30pm
Location: Sellers, 213 W. 4th St.
Panelists: Rich Guest (President of U.S. Operations, Tribal Worldwide), Graham Harris (VP, Bazaarvoice), Ja Rule (Hip Hop Artist and Founder, Fyre Media), Jennifer Dalipi (Director of Digital Marketing, COTY)
Overview: Join this panel for a discussion on authenticity in advertising and the ways to create authentic connections with your target audience. Speakers will chat about what it means to be authentic with regard to both data and content—including the methodologies to find the right audience while they are truly in-market, and how to leverage authentic consumer-generated content to enhance the user experience.
Sunday, March 12
2017 Interactive Innovation Awards Finalists Showcase
Time: 11:00am–5:00pm
Location: Hilton Austin Downtown, 500 E. 4th St., 4th Floor
Featuring: #comeonin by DDB Group Australia for Sydney Opera House
Overview: As part of the 20th annual Interactive Innovation Awards, the 2nd annual Finalist Showcase brings 2016’s best, most forward-thinking projects to your fingertips! The competition features 65 finalists in 13 categories from across the digital creative and interactive technologies spectrum. Discover each of the finalists’ work with hands-on demos of these trendsetting new contributions to the connected world. Then vote for your favourite finalist in the competition to receive the People’s Choice Award.
Winners of the 13 categories and 7 special honours, including the People’s Choice Award, will be revealed at the Interactive Innovation Awards Ceremony.
How the New Age of Storytelling and Innovation Intersect
Time: 6:30pm–8:30pm, invite only
Location: YouTube Corner, 511 E. 5th St
Panelists: Myra Nussbaum (SVP Group Creative Director, DDB Chicago), Ben Jones (Creative Director, Google), Sebastian Tomich (SVP of Advertising & Innovation, The New York Times Company), Richardo Viramontes (Creative Director, Lyft)
Overview: Disruption breeds innovation, and innovation creates a new canvas for storytelling. From six seconds to immersive VR experiences, there are endless options for advertisers to tell their stories in new and creative ways, and those options continue to evolve. In this session, we’ll explore the creative possibilities of how innovative storytelling can surprise and delight audiences, and take a peek into what’s next for the future of advertising.
Tuesday, March 14
Time: 2:00pm–3:00pm
Location: Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez St., Room 10AB
Panelists: Leo Macías (CCO, DDB Colombia), Alison Entsminger (Software Designer, IBM Design), Dana Kelly (Manager of Social Strategy, Fullscreen), David Cleaves (ECD, frog design), Jacob Chapman (Partner, Gelt VC), Jamie Black (Founder/Host, Dynasty Podcasts), Justine Kelly (Executive Chef, Sun Basket), Kate Spacek (Director, ZERO1), Paresh Shah (Chief Innovator and Value Architect, The Non-Obvious Company), Scott Wayne (Founder, The Frontier Project)
Overview: Ten creative leaders will share their impact on the world and in the workplace. Leo Macías, Chief Creative Officer at DDB Colombia Group, will be speaking about DDB Colombia’s Sun Hats campaign. The work was created for DDB Colombia’s client EPM (Empresas Públicas de Medellín) in 2016 and was the only shortlisted case from DDB Worldwide in the Innovation category at Cannes 2016.
Friday, March 17
I’m Lovin’ It: Music and McDonald’s
Time: 2:00pm–3:00pm
Location: Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez St., Room 16AB
Panelists: John Hansa (ECD, We Are Unlimited), Jon Ellis (CPO, We Are Unlimited), Bonny Dolan (Managing Director, Comma Music)
Overview: Throughout the decades, music has been a part of McDonald’s DNA, from the “I’m Lovin’ It” riff to the brand’s current campaign featuring Iron and Wine’s cover of Cyndi Lauper’s iconic “Time After Time.” McDonald’s understands the importance of music to its brand. To remain relevant and authentic in the moment, McDonald’s is always looking for the right music and the right artist. Now with a new advertising agency by its side, We Are Unlimited, McDonald’s will keep music front and centre. The speakers will discuss the creative process from the ground up, and examine how a brand like McDonald’s brings music into its world—and how recording artists and musicians can be a part of that world.
DDB will recap all SXSW activities via blog posts, photos, and social updates from the ground. For live coverage be sure to follow the #DDBDoesAustin hashtag and DDB Worldwide’s Twitter and Instagram.
