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THE YEAR OF THE MEERKAT

SXSW 2015

SXSW: 10 KEY THEMES

1. The year of the Meerkat

2. Body as a controller

3. Science on display

4. Government gets geeky

5. Who are all these joggers?

6. Marketing activation

7. In pursuit of the millennials

8. Getting staid

9. Fiction is better than truth

10. Can’t we all just get along?

The Year of the Meerkat01

The year of the Meerkat. Let’s discuss.

Proclaimed the “Breakout App” of SXSW 2015, Meerkat brought mobile live streaming to the

masses as Twitter was putting the final touches on Periscope. First to the race, Meerkat

posited that “simultaneous togetherness” will redefine digital sharing. Early adopters flexed the

medium’s potential, streaming everything from a stroll down 6th street to keynotes and parties.

Body as Controller02

Wearables meet VR

Last year’s wearable explosion was all but

forgotten, as virtual reality stepped in to

demonstrate that it’s not about the data, but

about the outcome. And the outcome everyone

wants is to feel good.

Controllers for your hands, shoulders, knees,

and toes abound. In fact, no one is certain which

part of the body – or how much of the body - is

the controller. Eye tracking takes the experience

to a new level, suggesting that the entire body is

the controller.

As for headsets, there were many, but they are

clearly not the end all. And while we all strapped

in and on, there was a collective feeling that it’s

weird, and we’ll get past it in the future.

If there is one thing that is certain, it is that we

are just in one big game.

Science on Display03

Understanding the underpinnings

Powerhouses such as 3M, GE, and

Google took the magic and mystery of

science out of the black box with

tangible demonstrations of how new

innovations power commercial and

consumer needs.

Government Gets Geeky04

Tech President

Four years ago, we met a lone federal government

official attending SXSW. He was allowed to attend,

but had to pay his own way.

Today, federal, state, and local government is out in

full force, serving as keynotes, orchestrating

panels, demonstrating new innovations, having

beers, and taking selfies with the digerati.

Who are all these joggers?05

Health and the boondoggle

This year, it seemed that everyone

packed their running shoes for SXSW as

attendees and organizers incorporated

health into the geeks’ boondoggle. Yoga

sessions, mediation, and morning runs

were a must on the agenda.

Daybreaker, the early morning dry rave,

also had a presence at SXSW where

young people gathered to dance their

hearts out in the name of wellness.

(Preceded by an optional yoga session,

natch.)

Marketing Activation06

All you have to do is sign up

With an increased advertising agency presence has come an increase in activation campaigns.

Most offered a premium in exchange for an action, such as downloading an app or distributing

a scripted message across social media. Few, however, offered meaningful connections

between the brand and the community.

The 7Eleven Slurpee truck immediately comes to mind. With a free Slurpee in hand, the app is

immediately deleted. National Geographic also scored low, requesting that participants in their

“Escape the Cold” activation send a scripted tweet to get a clue.

Sponsors can do better in 2016. Create an incredible experience and it will speak for itself.

In pursuit of the millennials07

“Um, no thank you.’

Our millennial attendees are not easily impressed. Customizable Samsung t-shirts? Guitar

picks? Word is that brands were trying too hard to capture millennial attention in 2015.

Perhaps the most obvious (and desperate) attempt was by McDonald’s, offering free fries and

wifi to a segment critical for the company’s turnaround.

Getting staid08

Just like last year!

One of the great joys of SXSW is discovery, as

restaurants and parking lots are re-envisioned as

unique experiences. In 2015, a number of brands,

such as 3M, Fast Company, and Mashable, reupped

on their 2014 location, offering more or less the same

experience. And while each of these brands did a

relatively good job of engaging attendees, we miss

the whimsy of years past.

Fiction is better than truth09

Fictional brands ruled

Fictional brands extended into the real world by offering attendees carefully designed

experiences, such as sampling free squishees from the Simpsons’ Kwick-e truck, entering for a

chance to win a night’s stay at a pop up Bates Motel in Austin, and slashing swords with the

best within a Game of Thrones environment.

Can’t we all just get along?10

We could, if we knew how.

Tech knows it has a diversity problem.

Chairman Eric Schmidt and acclaimed Steve

Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson were

wrapping up a SXSW Interactive panel that had

focused on diversity, when an audience

member called out the two men for repeatedly

interrupting their fellow panelist, the United

States' Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.