Has SXSW Become the Mecca for All Things Content?

For 22 years, SXSW Interactive (SXSWi) has given nerds a place to congregate and connect. Originally called SXSW Film & Multimedia Conference, SXSWi has evolved to embrace innovation in all of its forms, including media and technology. But, many people ask, after 2014's literal rain on the SXSWi parade, is it time for nerds to find a new place to come together and seek enlightenment?

Everyone has an opinion (and varying degrees of snark to go with it), but the beauty of SXSWi is that, as the conference grows, so, too, does the variety of industries, brands and personalities that are included in the experience. And the power of bringing these different opinions and ideas together is in the conversation and content they drive.  

SXSWi is no longer a conference; it's a cultural connector, playing a critical role of matchmaker in our content-driven, digitally-enabled world. Where else can you grab fish tacos or BBQ brisket from a food truck while standing in line with some of today’s (and tomorrow’s) most powerful CMOs, award-winning filmmakers, influential musicians, inventors and visionaries? 

As the number of platforms, devices and channels to engage and entertain audiences expand, it only makes sense to bring together all forms of content and industry in one place. Advertisers, marketers, movie studios, producers… they're all having different versions of the same conversation when it comes to shaping the future of content. Why not make Austin, known for its ability to bring together art, science, culture, and technology with its own unique brand of quirk, home to one of the largest content gatherings?

Brands are already taking note of this shift, as they set out to deliver engaging experiences that appeal to the diverse audiences that will pass through Austin’s streets. For example, last year AT&T and Vice came together to the launch ‘The Mobile Movement,’ an interactive content showcase that featured mobile innovations, musicians and technology showcases powered by real-life stories of today’s connected youth; showcasing how AT&T is enabling young Americans' always-on lifestyles. Then there was Oreo’s Trending Vending Machine, who combined 3D-printing technology with real-time chatter of Twitter to enable passersby to create customized Oreos in one of 12 flavors trending on Twitter, encouraging people to follow along and contribute to the conversation with the hashtag #eatthetweet. It was simple, it was visually stimulating, and it provided utility without interrupting the SXSWi experience.  Meanwhile, Pennzoil forged an unlikely partnership with Nintendo for a real-life Mario Kart experience designed to introduce consumers to the iconic video game’s eighth iteration for Wii U and to Pennzoil’s new Platinum Full Synthetic Motor Oils with PurePlus Technology.

So what will 2015 have in store?  Well, you may not get into the sessions you want; and you may sleep through the keynote you intended to be inspired by (your hangover can be our little secret). Yet, SXSW 2015 is ripe for more cross-over collaborations and partnerships than ever before, as left and right brain thinkers come together to drive the future of marketing. For these precious few days, Austin sits at the intersection of data and creativity, where the only thing keeping you from being inspired is yourself. So get out there, put on your comfortable (yet professional) sneakers, and go introduce yourself to someone new. There's magic to be made when you bring so many creators together in one place.  

Whitney Fishman Zember is senior director of innovation and consumer technology at MEC North America