Only a few hours to go before I commence my annual sojourn to the OG SXSW in Austin, Texas. This year is especially cool as it is the inaugural Mediaweek Official SXSW Tour.
A small group of VIPs excited to be inspired, learn, and connect, will explore the weirdness of Austin and the magic of SXSW. The city has an incredible vibe and SXSW in my opinion is one of the best festivals in the world. We will come back sleep-deprived, exhausted with our brains about to explode with inspiration however it is worth every moment.
Initially, the 25 tracks are overwhelming, and I get an instant case of FOMO as it is impossible to see everything you want. You need to do your homework and first cast a wide net, using the excellent SXSW Go app selecting everything that grabs your attention.
Then reality and logistics kick in as you need to focus on the location of the various tracks around the convention centre plus incredible surprises and delights along the way. When you are connecting and talking to other attendees everyone is sharing tips and tricks, you will hear about new sessions or just something that will pique your interest … or you just need to go with the flow.
Texas: Did I mention the food?
Austin is also an awesome city and part of the amazing SXSW experience is to immerse yourself in the incredible live music and bar culture. A visit wouldn’t be complete without a night on 6th Street or venue hopping on Rainey Street. Plus, as a foodie, I love the food trucks and the delicious Mexican and famous Texas BBQ – Franklin Barbecue, Stubb’s Bar-B-Q & Salt Lick Bar-B-Que are my top three picks.
As mentioned, the depth and breadth of content is outstanding, and I still gravitate to some of the keynotes at the Austin Convention Centre. The tracks that I normally attend are Advertising & Brand Experience, Media Industry, Tech, Creating Film & TV, and 2050. However, it is always better to mix it up and suss out other options for inspiration and unexpected insights. Inspiration is literally on every corner, and you must grab it with both hands and go for it.
SXSW session highlights
Top of my speaker list again is Amy Webb who is a futurist and ignites my imagination every year with her digital trends and coverage of very complex digital gems. Also, looking forward to Amy being at the first SXSW in Sydney.
As a company, I really respect Patagonia and will not miss their CEO, Ryan Gellert, I’m intrigued by the NASA Webb Space Telescope session, as a film buff on my schedule is Tilda Swinton, Priyanka Chopra Jones, Eva Longoria, Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Chelsea Handler, etc. The session with New Order should also be fascinating plus Nick Jonas in conversation around diabetes.
On the CEO/CMO front, I hope to check out Mary Barra chair & CEO GMH, CEO of Indeed Chris Hyams, co-founder Sweetgreen Nicholas Jammet, Tim Mapes CMO Delta Airlines, Everette Taylor CEO of Kickstarter, Hamdi Ulukaya founder Chobani, etc.
I also enjoy some of the incredible activations, in the past HBO with Westworld and Games of Thrones and Prime Video were not to be missed. I am sure this year White Claw, Porsche, Paramount+, and Showtime will not disappoint with immersion experiences and bringing their brand and culture together.
Australia House is another annual highlight where the American Australia Association/G’Day Australia & Tourism Australia hosts some excellent content. This year I am looking forward to two sessions on Monday with some incredible Aussie talent showcased.
It’s hard to describe SXSW in words as the experience is all-consuming, inspiring, magical, energising and so much fun … you really have to experience it for yourself. That’s why I’m such a fan of the original in Austin Texas that’s been going for 30+ years with roots firmly in music where it just exploded over the years.
Sparrow having fun at SXSW in 2022 with Jules Lund and Lindsay Bennett
Enjoy the original…and get ready for Sydney 2023
In October in our own very backyard we will have the only SXSW outside of Texas in Sydney and what an incredible opportunity for people from all over the Asia Pacific region to experience the incredible magic of SXSW. I personally cannot wait … bring them both on!
Don’t miss reports starting Monday from Mediaweek’s Greg Graham and Trent Thomas in Austin, Texas.