The document outlines key insights and themes from this year's SXSW event, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making and innovation through diverse teams. It highlights that companies must invest in data analytics talent and leverage diverse groups to foster better products and engagement, as innovation increasingly relies on asking the right questions. The evolving landscape of content distribution and retail, alongside the rise of 'intrepreneurship' in a remote workforce, underscores the shifting dynamics brands face in a rapidly changing environment.

1. 1

2. REPORT&OVERVIEW
NOTABLE&BRANDS SESSIONS&WE&LOVED
MAJOR&THEMES PERSONALITIES TRENDING&TECH
HERE’S&WHAT&INSPIRED&US&DURING&SXSW&THIS&YEAR
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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&not&only&in&the&acquisition&of&data,&but&also&in&talent&that&can&turn&data&into&action&and&outcomes.
DIVERSE,&CROSSYFUNCTIONAL&TEAMS&WILL&AMPLIFY&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&noted,&“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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4. MAJOR&THEMES
Photo&credit:&@Megan_Clement
HERE$ARE$THE$TOPICS$THAT$ROSE$ABOVE$THE$NOISE$AND$LIKELY$WILL$
CONTINUE$TO$DRIVE$CONVERSATION$IN$THE$COMING$MONTHS
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5. DELIVERING&
ON&DATA
COMMUNITIES:
NARRATIVE&&&
ENGAGEMENT
The$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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6. MODERN&
CONTENT&
DISTRIBUTION
RETAIL
REEXAMINED
SXSW$is$sometimes$referred$to$as$“geek$spring$
break,”$for$its$emphasis$on$progressive$
technologies$–$but$the$festival$is$equally$filled$
with$progressive$ideas.$
One$that$stood$out$in$Austin$centered$around$the$
notion$that$the$old,$adRbased$model$of$brand$
communications$is$transforming.$With$new$
platforms$and$the$ability$to$use$data$to$
personalize$experiences$and$engage$consumers,$
the$notion$of$a$conventional$media$buy$is$
changing.$Panels$like$Content&Marketing&vs.&Don&
Draper,&The&End&of&Ads&and$Back&To&The&Future&of&
Media&were$big$hits$among$attendees.
In$retail,$the$desire$for$marketing$communications$
that$move$customers$from$product$discovery$and$
awareness$to$intent$and$purchase$has$always$been$
the$Holy$Grail.$SXSW$hosted$dozens$of$panels$that$
stressed$how$in$the$notRsoRdistant$future$retailers$
will$have$a$slew$of$new$touchpoints$that$will$
seamlessly$connect$the$digital$and$physical$worlds$
to$form$new$connections$with$consumers$at$
various$stages$of$the$purchase$cycle.
These$new$connections$will$create$a$more$unified$
consumer$experience$across$all$channels$–$from$
TV,$to$digital,$social$and$inRstore.
Traditional$forms$of$advertising$will$still$be$
important$to$drive$retail$sales,$but$with$these$
impending$advances$in$technology$–$especially$in$
mobile$–$brands$will$be$able$to$connect$the$dots$
more$seamlessly$along$their$consumer’s$journey.
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7. GROWTH&&THROUGH&
INTREPRENEURSHIP
CULTURAL&
DISRUPTION
A$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$Home&Smart&Home:&The&Future&
Conscious&Home.
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8. PERSONALITIES
Photo&credit:&Richard&Mcblane/Getty&Images
THESE$ARE$THE$MOVERS$&$SHAKERS$THAT$
CAPTURED$OUR$ATTENTION$AT$SXSW
8

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

11. TRENDING&TECH
Photo&credit:&IGN.com
HERE$ARE$THIS$YEAR’S$STANDOUT$TECHNOLOGIES
THAT$MADE$THEIR$PRESENCE$KNOWN$AT$SXSW
11

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!
12

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.
13

14. WHO&OR&
WHAT?
WHAT’S&IT&
ABOUT?
WHY&DOES&
IT&MATTER?
INTERNET&OF&THINGS ROBOTICS
The$IoT$–$the$idea$that$connections$will$
come$from$the$physical$world$–$continued$to$
be$a$hot$topic$among$the$tech$elite$at$
SXSW.$Beacon$tech$stood$out,$earning$a$lot$
of$attention$in$this$category.
The$sensors$and$technology$required$to$
power$robots$are$becoming$increasingly$
inexpensive$and$accessible,$which$means$
robots$are$poised$to$aid$mankind$in$nearly$
every$industry.
The$idea$that$everything$and$anything$will$
be$connected$in$the$future$means$that$
there$will$be$an$explosion$of$new$data$that$
brands$can$tap$into.$
Whether$its$microRlocation$data$with$
beacons$or$product$usage$moments$and$
timing$through$smart$appliances,$the$IoT$
will$put$brands$that$can$deliver$on$the$data$
at$the$forefront$of$their$industries.$
From$disasterRrelief$and$humanitarian$
crises$to$scientific$exploration$and$
automated$delivery$of$goods,$robots$are$
expected$to$change$many$aspects$of$our$
lives.
A$variety$of$panels$discussed$related$topics,$
like$the$future$of$artificial$intelligence$and$
how$we'll$interact$with$robots.$There$was$
even$a$robot$“petting$zoo”$for$attendees$to$
touch,$operate$and$program!
14

15. NOTABLE&BRANDS
Photo&credit:&YAHOO!
SXSW$HAD$NO$SHORTAGE$OF$BRAND$ACTIVATIONS;$
HERE$ARE$OUR$FAVORITES:$#CLIENTS$AND$NONRCLIENTS$INCLUDED
15

16. A&E&–&To$promote$the$upcoming$season$of$Bates&
Motel,$the$network$built$an$impressive$replica$of$
the$show’s$main$set.$Fans$lined$up$around$the$
block$and$tweeted$for$the$chance$to$stay$in$one$
of$the$rooms$for$that$night$at$SXSW!
Photo&credit:&YAHOO!
16

17. The$Simpsons&–&To$mark$the$25th$anniversary$of$
the$KWIKRERMART$appearing$on$the$classic$
cartoon,$the$show$tapped$into$food$culture$in$a$
fun$way$as$SXSW$played$host$to$the$first$stop$of$
the$national$KWIKRERMART$food$truck$tour.
Photo&credit:DEBORAH&CANNON&Y&STATESMAN
17

18. Photo&credit:DEBORAH&CANNON&Y&STATESMAN
SQUIRL.CO&–&It$was$hard$to$miss$the$group$of$
squirrels$sitting$around$Austin$reading$every$day.$
The$activation$included$an$app$that$delivers$its$
users$geoRrelevant$book$passages,$so$when$a$
person$is$in$a$certain$location,$he/she$can$read$an$
author’s$words$about$that$place.
18

19. TOYOTA&–$SXSW$attendees$were$wowed$by$the$
automaker’s$OculusRpowered$distracted$driving$
simulator.$The$clever$activation$reinforced$the$
brand’s$mission$to$end$distracted$driving,$
especially$for$teen$drivers.
Photo&credit:&PSFK
19

20. Ex$Machina&–&A$sciRfi$film$that$debuted$Saturday$
at$SXSW$used$popular$dating$app$Tinder$to$trick$
many$men$who$liked$“Ava”$into$learning$about$
the$film.$It$was$a$smart$tieRin$to$the$movie’s$
theme:$artificial$intelligence$and$modern$love.
Photo&credits:&AdWeek
20

21. Photo&credit:The&NEXT&WEB
MOPHIE&–$The$cellphone$case/battery$pioneer$
partnered$with$the$Saint$Bernard$Rescue$
Foundation$to$rescue$dead$cell$phone$batteries$in$
response$to$tweets$around$Austin.$Hundreds$
flocked$to$meet$the$pups,$dead$battery$or$not.
21

22. CANON&–&Canon$hosted$a$filmmakers$lounge$
where$SXSW$goers$could$relax,$refresh$and$learn$
more$about$Canon$products$through$a$touchRandR
try$area$in$the$lounge.$The$brand$also$hosted$daily$
interviews$with$notable$filmmakers$like$iJustine!
Photo&credits:&@PopTrigger
22

23. Photo&credits:&@stephawie
HootSuite&–&The$popular$social$media$
management$system$won$big$with$its$
impossibleRtoRmiss$transportation$options.$While$
pedaling$their$way$through$Austin,$riders$were$
refreshed$with$cold$beer!
23

24. Google&–&Always$a$presence$at$SXSW,$Google$
promoted$its$rapidly$expanding$Google$Fiber$
highRspeed$offering,$announced$for$Austin$this$
year.$Hundreds$tried$Google’s$VRRpowered$
simulator$that$let$users$“fly”$over$Austin.
Photo&credits:&@stephawie
24

25. Photo&credits:&Business&Insider
HBO&–&With$few$shows$present$at$SXSW,$Game&
of&Thrones&was$the$most$popular$by$far.$The$
SXSWesteros$interactive$exhibit$was$crowded$
throughout$SXSW$and$dozens$of$pediRcabs$
carried$attendees$around$on$the$“Iron$Throne.”
25

26. USA&–&Promoting$the$network’s$new$hacker$drama,$Mr.&
Robot,$USA$partnered$with$Boingo$to$give$ATX$airport$wifi$
users$a$surprise$“hack.”$At$login,$it$dispatched$a$cryptic$
group$of$young$men$in$black$hoodies$chanting$“Mr.$
Robot!”$to$promote$the$premiere$of$the$pilot$at$SXSW.
Photo&credits:The&Daily&Dot
26

27. SESSIONS&WE&LOVEDTHOUGH$IT’S$IMPOSSIBLE$TO$ATTEND$EVERY$AMAZING$SESSION$AT$
SXSW,$THESE$ARE$THE$ONES$THAT$STUCK$WITH$US$AFTER$AUSTIN
Photo&credit:DEBORAH&CANNON&Y&STATESMAN
27

28. PANEL&
NAME:
PANEL&
MEMBERS:
WHY&WE&
LOVED&IT:
ED$CATMULL$President,$Pixar$&$Walt$Disney$Animation
GALYN$SUSMAN$Producer,$Pixar$Animation$Studios
JIM$MORRIS$President,$Pixar$Animation$Studios
PETE$DOCTER$Director$&$VP,$Creative$Pixar$Animation
For$the$20th$anniversary$of$Toy&Story,$several$
Pixar$leaders$took$the$stage$in$front$of$a$
packed$audience$to$discuss$the$firstRever$
computer$animated$hit.$
They$offered$a$rare$glimpse$into$the$
imaginationRdriven$process$and$the$tech$
created$to$bring$it$to$life$in$parallel.$The$panel$
also$discussed$how$their$belief$in$the$idea$led$
to$a$revolution$and$revival$in$the$dying$
animated$feature$film$category,$prompting$
Disney$to$acquire$Pixar$Animation$Studios.
Infinity&and&Beyond:&Pixar&
and&20&Years&Since&Toy&Story
Photo&credit:&@seenoevilpix
28

29. PANEL&
NAME:
PANEL&
MEMBERS:
WHY&WE&
LOVED&IT:
CHRIS$HAINES$Director$of$Strategy,$Fluid
PAU$SABRIA$CoRFounder$&$CEO,$Olapic
2.6$billion$photos$are$shared$on$social$media$
each$day.$With$this$huge$rise$in$userR
generatedRcontent$(UGC),$it’s$becoming$
increasingly$apparent$to$consumers$when$
content$is$overly$branded$and$staged.$In$fact,$
63$percent$of$consumers$trust$UGC$over$
branded$content.$
The$panel$discussed$how$to$work$with$brand$
advocates$and$influencers$when$thinking$
through$content$strategies,$to$ensure$brand$
messages$are$well$received$within$target$
communities.
The&Anatomy&of&
Selfies&That&Sell
Photo&credit:&EliteDaily
29

30. PANEL&
NAME:
PANEL&
MEMBERS:
WHY&WE&
LOVED&IT:
MALCOLM$GLADWELL$Author,$Writer,$The&New&Yorker
BILL$GURLEY$Venture$Capitalist,$Benchmark
One$of$the$most$packed$sessions$at$SXSW,$
these$two$shared$an$inspiring$conversation$
that$touched$on$disruptive$technologies,$Uber,$
Millennials,$and$VC$trends.
“Millennials$view$cars$as$a$utility,$not$as$a$
social$statement$–$that’s$a$huge$shift,”$Gurley$
noted$on$the$impact$and$growth$of$Uber.$
On$whether$we’re$in$another$‘tech$bubble’:$
“No.$But$we’re$in$a$risk$bubble.$Money$being$
frivolously$spent$in$Silicon$Valley.$Expect$to$
see$a$few$dead$unicorns$[tech$startups]$this$
year.”$Research$well$and$invest$intelligently.
Bill&Gurley&and&Malcolm&
Gladwell&in&Conversation
30

31. PANEL&
NAME:
PANEL&
MEMBERS:
WHY&WE&
LOVED&IT:
VICTORIA$TAYLOR$Director$of$Communications,$Reddit
ALEX$CHUNG$Founder$&$CEO,$Giphy
TIM$HWANG$Director$of$Marketing,$Imgur
SELENA$LARSON$Journalist,$The&Daily&Dot
The$lively$panel$discussed$the$Internet’s$visual$
messaging$phenomenon:$the$GIF.$
“GIFs$capture$an$emotion$and$reaction$and$
serve$as$a$vehicle$for$expressing$it.”$They$are$
becoming$increasingly$important$in$
advertising$and$are$attentionRgrabbing.$
80$percent$of$the$GIFs$people$are$watching$
already$come$from$movies$and$TV,$so$
entertainment$brands$in$particular$should$look$
for$GIFRable$moments$to$promote$longRform$
content.$
Behind&the&GIF:&The&Future&of&
Online&Visual&Culture
Photo&credit:&@seenoevilpixPhoto&credit:&@ArturoAOrtiz
31

32. PANEL&
NAME:
PANEL&
MEMBERS:
WHY&WE&
LOVED&IT:
GENEVIEVE$BELL$VP$Intel$Fellow,$Intel$Corporation
MIMI$ITO$Professor,$University$of$California$Irvine
Anthropologists$by$profession,$Bell$and$Ito$
explored$the$development$of$technology$and$
how$we$can$leverage$it$to$explore$the$
dichotomy$between$what$people$say$they$are$
doing$and$what$they$are$actually$doing.$
While$technology$is$changing$the$way$we$
gather$data,$the$two$stand$by$their$hallmark$of$
a$good$research$methodology:$that$your$
consumer$is$the$expert$on$what$you$want$to$
know,$not$you$or$your$teams.
User&Experience&Design&
Shaping&Our&World
Photo&credit:&MarketingMob
32

33. 33