This document summarizes experiential marketing takeaways from SXSW 2019. It notes that venues used large, open spaces that made visitors feel welcome to socialize. It also observes that only large companies could afford large-scale activations, while smaller promotions disappeared. Additionally, it remarks that technology enhanced experiences without being overbearing, and that companies provided educational sessions and activities beyond just promoting products. Finally, it comments that some B2B companies created great experiences, and that activations recognizing human emotions were most successful.

1. SXSW 2019
Experiential Takeaways

2. SXSW 2019
EXPERIENTIAL TAKEAWAYS
Be The Machine was on the scene again in Austin for SXSW 2019.
We love SXSW for many reasons, with all of the amazing
experiential activations being at the top of the list. It’s impossible to
check out everything at SXSW, even for seasoned pros who work all
the connections. In the spirit of sharing, we wanted to pass along our
insights of this year’s scene.
9 EXPERIENTIAL TAKEAWAYS
1. Please, Stay A While
2. Go Big or Stay Home
3. Don’t Mess With Texas
4. Consumers Pick The Journey
5. Tech Enables
6. Storytelling? Please
7. Learning Beyond Borders
8. B2B Elevates Its Game
9. People Are Humans

3. 1. PLEASE, STAY A WHILE
We loved the use of big, wide open spaces many activations
featured. Visitors felt very welcome to hang out well beyond the
brand engagement: conduct personal business and socialize.
Amazon Prime’s “Good Omens” was a great space but far from
the only one. In the experiential world, especially at SXSW,
venues are a HUGE deal. We’ve never seen such extensive
use of massive spaces until this year.

4. 2. GO BIG OR STAY HOME
Marketers have cranked up SXSW experiences to the next
level. Which is no surprise. But what we’ve seen disappear is
the small and mid-tier level of promotions. The costs and
investments of being at SXSW are massive for any company
activating there. Big players like LinkedIn are swinging for home
runs– they are not looking to bunt.

5. 3. DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS
There’s an unspoken reality that at major events, companies will
try to stage guerrilla promotions. For marketers late to the game,
looking to avoid official sponsor fees, or on a limited budget,
SXSW represents a great opportunity if they can figure out what to
do. Yeah, well, forget that noise. Going guerrilla at SXSW is near
impossible. No street teams, no postering, no rogue promo trucks
were spotted in 2019. SXSW has Austin on lockdown.

6. 4. CONSUMERS PICK THE JOURNEY
A wonderful trend we noticed this year was that visitors to
experiential spaces had real control over their journey. In the past,
it was common to dictate to consumers where to go, what to do,
and how to participate. Thankfully, at just about each promotion
we visited, we determined the flow of our own experience. The
Sony WOW Studio tops our list. No rush, no forced activities.
Smart!

7. 5. TECH ENABLES FUN
New technology can be tricky at experiential offerings– and we’ve
seen many epic fails and lame attempts at forced high tech
components. But players like Sony, LG and LuLulemon really
harnessed tech wisely. Fun activities like foosball and light shows
kept the focus on human interaction but it was all boosted with
eye-popping technology.

8. 6. STORYTELLING? PLEASE.
SXSW created an official “Experiential Storytelling” program track
for 2019. It was a fail. They gave 95% of the programming over to
niche weirdo stuff and ignored their own sponsors who were telling
massive experiential stories. Yes, Giant Spoon gave a case study
on last year’s insane Westworld experience. But that was about it.
Come on, SXSW, recognize marketers created experiential!

9. 7. LEARNING BEYOND BORDERS
We saw an explosion of great panels and workshops outside of
the main SXSW convention, such as the “Us” panel by Twitter. In
the past, everyone was jammed up in the big hall. Now
programming has expanded to hotels and such. This year we hit
experiential spaces for more learning sessions than ever before.
We liked that companies were trying to educate and entertain
beyond their core products and services.

10. 8. B2B ELEVATES ITS GAME
Let’s face it, B2B marketers have been playing catch up when it
comes to dynamic experiences compared to consumer-facing
brands. This year at SXSW, though, we experienced some
great B2B activations from players such as ADP and SAP. They
partnered up with some great collaborators and produced some
of the best experiential activities in Austin.

11. 9. PEOPLE ARE HUMANS
Great experiential marketing recognizes human emotion. At the
Expo Hall of SXSW, the Calm app wisely had a pet sloth
hanging around and crowds loved him! What they didn’t like?
Around 284 other vendors in the hall who forgot SXSW
attendees are humans who respond to emotion. Lush Labs also
did a great job by offering up an array of free bath products in
colorful and fun arrangements to delight the senses.

12. Maggie Covert
maggie@themachinenyc.com
646-380-9468