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Similar to 2015 SXSW Interactive Recap (20)
2015 SXSW Interactive Recap
- 3. BRAND&TAKEAWAYS&
TRANSFORMING&DATA&INTO&INSIGHTS&AND&ACTION&WILL&DIFFERENTIATE&INNOVATIVE&BRANDS
“The&best&companies&have&a&data&analytics&person&who&reports&directly&to&the&CEO,”&said&SXSW&keynote&speaker&and&Silicon&Valley&whiz&Bill&
Gurley&in&his&conversation&with&author&Malcolm&Gladwell,&reaching&thousands&at&SXSW.&Today&we’re&moving&beyond&the&cliche&“big&data”’&
buzzword&era&into&one&where&brands&are&making&data&actionable&in&powerful&ways.&
Whether&the&data&is&used&to&create&more&valuable&experiences&for&consumers,&to&test&and&optimize&campaigns&and&content,&or&to&inform&key&
strategic&decisions,&it&was&clear&at&SXSW&that&data&will&be&the&differentiator&between&brands&that&win&and&brands&that&falter&in&the&future.&
Organizations&should&be&investing¬&only&in&the&acquisition&of&data,&but&also&in&talent&that&can&turn&data&into&action&and&outcomes.
DIVERSE,&CROSSYFUNCTIONAL&TEAMS&WILL&LIFY&INNOVATION
Alongside&Google&Executive&Chairman&Eric&Schmidt,&Megan&Smith,&Chief&Technology&Officer&of&the&United&States,&woke&up&the&crowd&in&her&
keynote&talk&How$Innovation$Happens&when&she&said,&“It’s&just&a&proven&fact&that&diverse&teams&make&better&products.&If&you&want&better&
products,&better&reach&and&better&economics,&have&diverse&teams.”&
Brands&that&are&able&to&leverage&the&radically&changing&workforce&and&its&neverYbeforeYseen&values&of&collaboration&and&diversity&will&be&the&
ones&that&see&the&most&innovation&happening.&Diversity&–&across&genders,&skill&sets&and&race&–&will&only&increase&in&importance&in&the&future.&
Businesses&that&want&to&win&tomorrow&can&get&a&jumpYstart&by&investing&in&diverse,&crossYfunctional&teams&today.
ASK&BETTER&QUESTIONS&TO&GET&TO&MEANINGFUL&INNOVATION
At&SXSW&it’s&easy&to&fall&into&the&trap&of&being&mesmerized&by&the&latest&new&shiny&object&in&the&tech&world,&but&this&year&many&top&panels&
stressed&that&the&most&important&leadership&skill&for&businesses&and&business&leaders&is&learning&how&to&ask&the&right&questions.&The&moment&a&
brand&stops&asking&questions&is&the&moment&it&stops&innovating&solutions&to&its&most&vexing&challenges.&As&Peter&Drucker&once¬ed,&“There’s&
nothing&more&dangerous&than&the&right&answer&to&the&wrong&question.”&
New&apps,&technologies,&approaches&and&data&can&be&incredibly&valuable&to&a&brand&only&if&they&are&part&of&solving&the&right&problems.&
Marketers&who&wish&to&encourage&more&questioning&among&their&teams&before&trying&to&innovate&could&employ&innovation&expert&Hal&
Gregersen’s&“4Y24”&project:&spending&4&minutes&a&day&(24&hrs&a&year)&asking&better&questions&about&problems,&both&large&and&small,&they&are&
facing.&
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- 5. DELIVERING&
ON&DATA
COMMUNITIES:
NARRATIVE&&&
ENGAGEMENT
The$word$data$has$been$thrown$around$in$recent$
years,$to$the$point$of$exhaustion$for$marketers.$
But$there’s$a$good$reason$it$remains$such$a$hot$
topic:$There’s$more$data$than$ever$before,$and$
brands$that$can$win$with$data$will$win$in$the$everR
changing$modern$marketing$landscape.
A$variety$of$packed$panels,$including$one$led$by$
360i$Chief$Strategy$Officer$Lee$Maicon,$discussed$
data$literacy$and$the$value$exchange$between$
shoppers$and$businesses.$WellRcrafted$data$
strategies$stand$to$improve$a$variety$of$brand$
offerings$R$and$equally$important$R$to$strengthen$
consumer$loyalty$and$impact$purchase$behavior$
moving$forward.
Progressive$brands$and$marketers$are$harnessing$
communities$in$new$ways.$Whether$it’s$working$
with$influential$community$members$or$using$
advanced$technologies$that$help$create$and$
distribute$better$content,$the$themes$of$narrative$
storytelling$and$community$engagement$were$big$
topics$of$discussion$at$SXSW.
It’s$important$to$note$that$the$word$is$shifting$
beyond$its$traditional,$social$media$community$
origins$to$encompass$groups$unified$by$a$central$
theme$or$idea.$Wearables,$TV$/$movie$fans,$
concert$/$festivalRgoers$and$streaming$music$
subscribers$are$examples$of$communities$that$
were$showcased$at$SXSW.$$Many$sessions$
explored$how$brands$are$working$with,$or$could$
work$better$with,$different$communities.
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- 7. GROWTH&&THROUGH&
INTREPRENEURSHIP
CULTURAL&
DISRUPTION
A$new$generation$of$talent$is$entering$the$workforce:$
one$that$is$more$frequently$remote,$multiRfunctional$
and$transient$than$any$before$it.$Historically,$these$
traits$would$have$all$been$viewed$negatively,$but$
many$SXSW$sessions$encouraged$brands$to$embrace$
these$attributes$in$order$to$harness$this$much$more$
creative,$collaborative$and$flexible$talent$pool.$
Intrepreneurship,$or$the$practice$of$using$
entrepreneurial$thinking$and$skills$within$a$company,$
was$highlighted$as$a$way$to$engage$talent$and$is$ripe$
territory$for$brands$looking$to$attract$talent,$
innovate$in$their$category$and$keep$pace$with$
change$moving$forward.
Innovators,$Ph.D.s,$scientists$and$futurists$took$
the$stage$at$SXSW$to$share$their$thoughts$and$
debate$one$another$around$the$impact$that$
innovative$technologies$are$having$on$culture.$
As$farRfetched$as$it$may$seem,$they$all$support$the$
notion$that$we$must$collectively$discuss$how$the$
digital$revolution$(or$evolution)$is$impacting$many$
fundamental$aspects$of$humanity$–$like$identity$
and$relationships.$
Though$there$was$no$conclusive$answer,$the$
discussion$provoked$new$thinking$about$how$
technologies$–$from$social$and$mobile,$to$public$
and$personal$–$are$becoming$complexly$
embedded$into$everyday$life,$and$what$it$will$
mean$to$be$a$brand$of$the$future.
Notable$sessions$included:$AI,&Immortality&and&the&
Future&of&Selves;$Facebook,&Twitter&and&The&Future&
of&Free&Speech;$and$Home&Smart&Home:&The&Future&
Conscious&Home.
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- 9. WALTER&ISAACSON&–&President$&$CEO$of$The$Aspen$Institute$
Issascon$spoke$in$the$How&Innovation&Happens$keynote$–$alongside$Google’s$Eric$Schmidt$and$the$U.S.$Chief$
Technology$Officer,$Megan$Smith$–$about$the$virtues$of$adopting$new$technologies$in$our$everRincreasing$
digital$world.$Art,$copy,$code$–$“each$of$these$concepts$is$beautiful$and$a$powerful$force$of$our$world.”
ANDREW&COCHRANE&–&Digital$Director$of$Mirada$Studios
Cochrane$spoke$about$immersive$and$interactive$storytelling$in$the$digital$age.$Immersive$and$interactive$
stories$are$not$told$to$the$audience;$they$are$experienced.$We$are$witnessing$the$birth$of$new$mediums$that$
allow$storytellers$–$including$brands$–$to$reach$their$audiences$in$new,$exciting$and$deeply$personal$ways.
AMANDA&PARKES&–&Fashion$Technologist,$Founder$of$Skinteractive$Studio
Parkes$was$candid$that$she$believed$today’s$“hard”$wearables$are$only$the$beginning$–$she$sees$the$future$
being$much$more$about$wearable$fabrics$that$consumers$will$adopt.$While$Apple,$Google$and$Facebook$will$
continue$to$innovate,$these$are$just$the$“tip$of$the$iceberg”$for$emerging$tech.$Some$of$the$most$real$
innovation$is$happening$out$of$the$spotlight,$and$will$come$from$brands$and$agencies$alike.
TODD&YELLIN&–&VP$of$Product$Innovation,$Netflix
Yellin$shared$seven$years$of$lessons$from$A/B$testing$at$Netflix,$noting$that$it$can$help$solve$problems$and$
debates,$can$empower$trying$new$things$and$can$help$move$business$metrics$for$brands.$$However,$he$
stressed$that$testing$isn’t$always$the$solution$–$“no$matter$what$metrics$say,$brands$need$to$stick$to$their$
values.”
MICHAEL&MICHALOWICZ&–&Author,$Entrepreneur$and$Lecturer$
Michalowicz$talked$about$social$axioms$and$how$we$frequently$accept$things$for$“the$
way$they$are.”$Many$successes$come$from$questioning$axioms:$Roger$Bannister$first$
broke$the$4Rminute$mile$after$studying$how$geese$fly,$and$hot$dog$eating$champ$
Kobayashi$shattered$the$Nathan’s$contest$record$by$changing$the$ageRold$process.$
9
- 10. BRIAN&GRAZER&–&Academy$AwardJWinning$Producer,$Author;$CoJFounder$of$Imagine$Entertainment
On$stage$speaking$about$his$new$book,$A&Curious&Mind,$Grazer$discussed$a$few$fundamentals$for$exercising$
curiosity$and$inspiring$innovation$(e.g.,$he$meets$people$beyond$his$industry$–$law,$medicine,$etc.$–$every$two$
weeks).$He$also$hit$on$the$values$of$a$good$creative$working$relationship:$“Taste.$Work$ethic.$Trust.$Respect.”$
JEFF&GOTHELF&–&Author,$Principal$of$Neo$Innovation
In$his$Building&a&Culture&of&Learning$session,$Gothelf$highlighted$three$characteristics$for$building$
continuously$learning$teams:$(1)$Small,$dedicated,$coRlocated,$selfRsufficient$teams$(2)$Incentivized$for$
solving$problems$over$creating$output$(3)$Encouraged$to$take$smaller$risks$with$clear$definitions$of$success.
KARL&ISAAC&–&Head$of$Brand$Strategy,$Adobe
In$the&Inside&Out:&Where&Corporations&and&Innovation&Meet$panel,$Isaac$discussed$Adobe’s$approach$to$
becoming$a$modern,$creative$company$and$the$importance$of$empowering$teams$to$be$“The$Three$O’s”$–$
Optimistic,$OpenRminded$and$Opportunistic$–$when$facing$new$problems$and$creating$innovative$solutions.
PHIL&LIBIN,&CEO$of$Evernote$
Libin$described$how$even$though$we$may$think$we$are$making$the$best,$most$rational,$informed$decisions$
regarding$real$life$problems,$we$usually$operate$in$the$shadow$of$our$“lizard$brain.”$We$first$look$for$the$
answer$with$the$least$potential$negative$outcomes$–$the$safest$option$–$which$often$has$fewer$potential$
positive$outcomes,$too.$Instead,$look$at$the$option$with$the$most$potential$positive$outcomes,$and$take$risks$
for$a$bigger$payoff.
PATRICK&TERRY&–&Owner$of$WorldJRenowned$P.$Terry’s$Burgers$in$Austin,$TX
Terry$talked$about$the$power$of$modern$wordRofRmouth.$He$has$run$an$extremely$
successful$burger$chain$in$Austin$without$any$marketing.$Instead,$he$relies$on$making$a$
highRquality$product$with$surprisingly$reasonable$prices$and$exceptional$customer$
service.$By$focusing$solely$on$the$customer,$he$has$been$able$to$build$an$empire$of$brand$
advocates$who$authentically$share$and$recommend$P.$Terry’s$to$a$wider$audience$for$$0.
10
- 12. WHO&OR&
WHAT?
WHAT’S&IT&
ABOUT?
WHY&DOES&
IT&MATTER?
MEERKAT VIRTUAL&REALITY&(VR)&TECH
Meerkat$is$the&app$that$stole$the$show$at$
SXSW.$Users$connect$via$Twitter$and$can$
liveRstream$via$their$mobile$devices$or$view$
and$comment$on$another$user’s$stream.
VR$was$very$big$at$SXSW,$with$both$
hardware$and$software$companies$touting$
their$latest$offerings.$Oculus,$Samsung,$
Avegant$and$Jaunt$were$all$in$Austin.
Attendees$were$buzzing$about$VR’s$
immersive$storytelling$potential$to$
radically$change$the$market$for$many$
industries.$
Sports,$entertainment,$journalism$and$
music$all$had$sessions$dedicated$to$how$VR$
will$change$how$we$think$of$those$spaces.
Meerkat$is$the$first$company$that’s$cracked$
the$liveRstreaming$code$in$such$a$way$that$
everyone$from$Jimmy$Kimmel$(who$has$
already$streamed$dozens$of$times)$to$your$
grandma$can$use$it$easily$and$effectively.$
While$limitations$exist,$audiences$thus$far$
are$extremely$engaged,$too.$In$just$one$day$
at$SXSW,$there$were$15,000$streams$with$
more$than$200,000$people$tuning$in!
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- 13. WHO&OR&
WHAT?
WHAT’S&IT&
ABOUT?
WHY&DOES&
IT&MATTER?
BITCOIN WEARABLES&+&HEALTH
Bitcoin$has$been$referred$to$as$the$
“currency$of$the$Internet”$and$is$one$of$the$
first$currencies$born$on$the$Internet$to$be$
used$in$the$analog$world$economy.
Wearables$have$been$a$hot$topic$for$the$
past$year,$but$SXSW$saw$a$new$wave$of$
wearables$dominating$conversation:$smart$
textiles.
"As$things$get$smaller$and$cheaper...$I$see$
technology$and$fashion$becoming$one,”$
says$Billie$Whitehouse,$coRfounder$of$
Wearable$Experiments.
The$new$world$of$wearables$will$track$and$
record$health$and$fitness$statistics,$clean$
themselves$via$sunlight,$provide$haptic$
feedback$to$aid$in$seamless$integration$
with$mobile$devices,$and$even$stabilize$
body$temperature$for$us.
While$we’re$early$in$the$adoption$curve$for$
the$crypto$currency,$Bitcoin$stands$to$
change$the$economics$of$the$world$at$
large.$
Panels$covered$a$range$of$topics,$including:$
Government$Policy$&$Regulation,$How$Any$
Brand$Can$Utilize$Bitcoin,$MIT$Bitcoin$
Project,$and$How$Bitcoin$will$Disrupt$the$
Accounting$and$Auditing$Industry.
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