WPP Unveils Final Speakers at SXSW Sydney

WPP is returning to the SXSW Sydney stage as an official partner, bringing the power of creative transformation to nine engaging sessions. Each of these will bring together partners and clients, international guest speakers, local innovators and the most influential thought leaders under one roof, providing a space to converge on WPP’s creative disciplines and AI leadership. 

Today, WPP is pleased to announce the final four sessions taking place at SXSW Sydney 2024:

Louis Piereck – senior global brand director for Vaseline, Unilever

Rica Facundo – managing editor (APAC), WARC

Toby Talbot – chief creative officer (Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand), Ogilvy 

Today, we find ourselves living in an age of average. A time where everything is starting to look the same and brands risk losing their distinctiveness. The problem? Average creative is costly. According to System1 and eatbigfish, dull advertising is costing US advertisers $189 billion USD. This represents a true crisis of distinctiveness.

In this SXSW Sydney session, join WARC's managing editor for APAC, Rica Facundo, as she explores the impact of average and dull advertising on brands, before flipping it on its head to explore how brands can drive a return on creativity in a fireside chat with Cannes Lion's first-ever Grand Prix winner for Singapore, Unilever's senior global brand director for Vaseline, Louis Piereck, and Ogilvy's chief creative officer for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Toby Talbot – the “second highest ranked creative leader of all time” in the 20+ year history of the bestadsontv creative rankings.

Sam Turley – head of inclusive innovation, Mindshare

Taryn Brumfitt – 2023 Australian of the Year

John McKeon – general manager ANZ personal care, Unilever

Noelle Russell – award-winning technologist

Would you sacrifice five years of your life for perfection? Whilst the beauty landscape has diversified, generative technologies are inundating our feeds with unattainable beauty content, leaving women and girls around the world feeling more pressure than ever to meet unrealistic standards. 

Join Mindshare’s head of inclusive innovation, Sam Turley, 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt, Unilever general manager ANZ personal care, John McKeon, and Award-winning technologist, Noelle Russell, as we reveal brand new research into generative AI’s influence on beauty standards worldwide and explore the role AI tools play in empowering visions of beauty. 

James Boardman – chief strategy officer (Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand), Wavemaker

Felipe Thomaz – associate professor of marketing, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

What does it take to move the minds of the consumers that matter? To get them to buy, donate, watch or subscribe today – and importantly tomorrow. Knowing that what got you here, won’t get you ‘there’ anymore. 

Hosted by James Boardman, chief strategy officer at Wavemaker, and featuring Felipe Thomaz, associate professor of marketing, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, this session will let you in on the secrets that hide within the world’s largest database of consumer journey research. Who is movable and who isn’t? What tactics work always…and what received marketing wisdom comes with flaws? 

Rachel Muscat – co-founder and CEO, Humanrace

Chris Hitchcock – chief of creative futures (Australia), EssenceMediacom 

From the original Louis Vuitton x Supreme collection to the ever-present Balenciaga x Crocs product drops and the Pokémon and Van Gogh Museum tie-up, brand collaborations have traversed the sublime to the surreal over recent years, generating huge business along the way.

During this fireside chat moderated by EssenceMediacom’s chief of creative futures, Chris Hitchcock, Rachel Muscat, co-founder and CEO of Humanrace, will showcase her pioneering work driving collaborations in the streetwear, sneaker, beauty and lifestyle sectors. She will share her journey at adidas creating a partnership portfolio including Yeezy, Jeremy Scott, Palace Skateboards and Opening Ceremony, as well as that founding Humanrace with Pharrell Williams. She’ll delve into ways brands and creators can align to solve problems and shape culture, as well as tapping into the billion-dollar opportunities that collaborations can represent.

These sessions continue WPP's commitment to bringing together partners, clients and thought leaders under one roof, providing a space to converge on WPP’s creative disciplines and AI leadership. Further details about the remaining sessions will be released soon. For more information, check out the website.