Brunch or blood donation? Meditation or roller skating? Vampires or superheroes? With more than 75,000 attendees, South by Southwest becomes prime grounds for brand activations over the 10-day span of the conference and festival that covers the latest in technology innovations, films, music, and art.
In order to generate buzz-building lines at events and encourage social media posts, brands and their creative partners came up with activities and programming that encouraged engagement.
There were fewer non-SXSW-branded events this year. Even SXSW music wristband-holders were able to R.S.V.P. for tickets for the first time. Some major brands were missing (Pandora) or limited their presences (Mashable only hosted its MashBash party, with no Mash House this year, while BuzzFeed attached itself to other brands). However familiar names like HBO, Amazon Prime, and Twitter returned, alongside first-time names like Lululemon, Activision, Atlas Obscura, and Patreon.
HBO’s Game of Thrones #BleedForTheThrone
Comparatively smaller than last year’s Westworld activation, HBO promoted Game of Thrones by recreating the castle and war campgrounds from the mega-hit fantasy series. The theme was blood, and the American Red Cross was on hand for donations (though donations weren’t necessary to enter the activation). The immersive setup, created with Giant Spoon, included actors playing characters from the show’s kingdoms, scripted with the help of Mycotoo, a scene set at the titular Iron Throne where people were given Hand of the Throne pins after they pledged their allegiance to the king. The pins offered discounts at local restaurants and stores. There was also an auditory tour through character plotlines and a war camp with free burgers from Shake Shack and non-alcoholic beverages. The action was set to a live choir of Austin singers led by Dr. William Kempster, who created an original arrangement for the event.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO
'Good Omens' Garden of Earthly Delights
Another activation pegged to a big television show came from Amazon Prime’s upcoming Good Omens. The main hub, produced by experiential marketing agency CSM LeadDog, depicted a secret garden with good and evil aspects from author Neil Gaiman’s source material. In addition to costumed entertainers, there were apples with written prophecies, a recreation of the show's bookstore with a photo opp, the Hellhound Puppy Pen with adoptable dogs from the Austin Animal Center (all were adopted by the end of the activation), and manicures with Butter London nail polish.
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
'Good Omens' Garden of Earthly Delights
A giant centerpiece tree contained beer and wine taps in its trunk
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
'Good Omens' Nuns
The Chattering Order of St. Beryl, an a capella choir that sings about the apocalypse while decked out in nun costumes, roamed the Austin streets to promote the show. They hosted a karaoke party on their tour bus, crashed Gaiman's discussion about the book, and performed at one of the space’s parties. Creative production agency Tool coordinated the stunts.
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
FX's 'What We Do In The Shadows' Vampire Library
As part of the premiere of new FX show What We Do in the Shadows, the network, produced in collaboration with The Mill’s Campfire, created pop-up libraries throughout Austin. The vampire-theme collections were open from dusk until midnight. Certain books contained bookmarks with the chance to enter a sweepstakes for money.
Photo: Roger Kisby/Getty Images for FX Networks
Netflix’s 'The Highwaymen'
For Netflix’s original movie The Highwaymen, which premiered at SXSW, the streaming service erected a speakeasy complete with a bar and stage for musical performances, all produced by marketing agency Collide. Guests were encouraged to rack up points via R.F.I.D. wristbands by completing activities like engaging with actors in the space, playing poker, and posting to social media. Points could be exchanged at the general store, which stocked items like Wrangler denim jackets, Stetson hats, and Jack Mason watches.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
UberEats’s House
Uber Eats brought together food and music with its series of concerts, parties, and dinners with creative agency Optimist Inc. The food delivery company also opened up a temporary walk-up window, produced with Optimist Inc. It served up dishes from an array of participating Austin restaurants, which changed daily.
Photo: Jason Suarez
UberEats’s House
There was the potluck dinner curated by chef David Chang prepped in the open kitchen area, and a separate hip-hop party and conversation with chef Roy Choi. There were also concerts paired with UberEats restaurants, like Texas singer-songwriter Khalid with McDonald's and pop singer Billie Eilish with vegan eatery By Chloe.
Photo: Rennie Solis
L'Oréal's Know Your Skin Activation
Activating at the Fast Company Grill, L'Oréal launched its partnership with biotechnology company uBiome that will research the skin's bacterial ecosystem. Also there, La Roche-Posay showcased its My Skin Track pH and UV devices, SkinCeuticals created custom serums, and Kiehl’s measured people’s skin hydration and oil levels and offered samples.
Photo: Celine Grouard for Fast Company
Atlas Obscura and Gore-Tex’s Into the Element
Online magazine Atlas Obscura teamed up with outdoor apparel company Gore-Tex for its first SXSW activation centered on fitness and exploration at a riverside boathouse. Activities included boating trips led by an ecologist, a morning hike along the trail, and a kayak excursion down to the South Congress Avenue bridge to witness the nightly bat swarm, all while trying out new Gore-Tex gear. The magazine also partnered with record label Ghostly International for evening concerts like Ouri and Shigeto. Gore-Tex let guests try out its gear through stations designed with Group Delphi.
Photo: Stephen Olker Photography
StubHub Sound Stage
StubHub created playlists with its headlining artists for concertgoers for SXSW and offered commemorative posters. The events were produced along with Collide and experiential marketing company Mosaic. V.I.P. guests were treated to smoked and grilled meats, like shrimp, ribs, and oysters.
Photo: Courtesy of StubHub
Starz’s 'American Gods' House of the Gods
Starz’s SXSW activation featured rooms and setups dedicated to the television show’s various new and old gods, produced with Unit9 Agency. There was a hologram room with a floating buffalo, a room that featured scenery of natural disasters or surveillance footage based on a switch, a fortune teller machine which printed out quotes, a red satin bed, and more. At the end of the tour, attendees were invited to vote for their favorite gods.
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Starz
House of Patreon
Membership platform Patreon used SXSW to highlight its creators as well as potential members through programming, concerts, and engagement centers. There were videos displaying creator content, like YouTube cooking channel Binging With Babish. People were encouraged to write down how they express their creativity and leave it on a wall with their photos. Outside was a large fill-in-the-blank display with statements about creativity.
Nadia Chaudhury for BizBash
Viceland's Skateland
Along with its usual Vice Bus lounge, the media company erected a retro roller rink in a parking lot near the Austin Convention Center, with custom laces, a DJ, and a disco ball.
Photo: Courtesy of Vice
Audible's 'The Night Realm'
Audiobook and audio performance company Audible created a medieval tavern in honor of its newest comedy series Heads Will Roll with Civic Entertainment Group. The bar experience was complete with a wall of golden skulls, speaking portraits of the characters, themed food like turkey legs, and a photo opp where participants were placed in stocks labelled with "crimes" described in social media lingo.
Photo: Courtesy of Audible
Comcast NBC Universal House
The media conglomerate's home featured a number of interactive and entertainment opportunities. The space hosted live tapings of Busy Tonight Live with Busy Philipps, as well as the first-ever in-real-life segment of popular mobile quiz show HQ Trivia.
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Comcast NBCUniversal
Comcast NBCUniversal House
Then there was the Project Runway video opp where participants could film their own runway segments, produced by Civic Entertainment Group and designed by OM Digital. People were also able film a video of themselves sitting at the desk of Michael Scott from the television show The Office and adopt dogs in the Clear the Shelters Puppy Lounge. There was the daily interactive mural from hobby site Bluprint, designed by artist Amy Tangerine.
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Comcast NBCUniversal
Copernicus Project Presented by Land O' Lakes
The dairy brand's Copernicus Project featured programming and activations centered around the future of food systems through the lenses of food, technology, and health. Attendees were able to chime in through interactive surveys—answering questions about food through colored strings—as well as relax in a food-theme ball pit. The activation was produced with Colle McVoy and Civic.
Photo: Courtesy of Land O' Lakes
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold’s Pure Golden Hour
The beer brand led a sunset meditation with more than 2,000 guests with mass meditation company the Big Quiet, produced with Mosaic. The meditation incorporated musical performances by Miguel, Bishop Briggs, and Cautious Clay.
Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Michelob Ultra Pure Gold
Culture Trip's Soho in Soco
UK-based travel, media, and entertainment startup Culture Trip partnered with experiential agency Fake Love for its American debut at the Austin Motel. The theme was Soho in SoCo, the former a reference to the Soho neighborhoods in London, Hong Kong, and New York, and the latter to the Austin address. On deck was the world premiere of its film The Soul of Soho, drag bingo with RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants Manila Luzon and Bob the Drag Queen, a recreation of a Hong Kong-style night market, and more.
Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Culture Trip
Showtime House
The cable network kept it simple and fresh for its three-day SXSW activation, which took on a different theme each day, produced with Collide. The House of Beats and Streets embraced New York and Chicago with D.I.Y. Chicago-style hot dogs for guests and a live mural painting on stage. The House of Shameless Fun was an entire carnival setup, from the quickdraw photo booth to balloon creatures to games. Each day, the first 100 guests to the space received a gift card to the subscription service. Guests also received free half-hour rides on Austin Cycle bikes that advertised the cable network's shows.
Photo: Laura June Kirsch/Showtime
Luluemon's Sweatlife House
Activewear company Lululemon offered a space for respite during the festival for its first major SXSW presence, with nods to healthy lifestyles around its Embody digital experiences. A standalone dome held digitally-enhanced meditation sessions, as well as multi-sensory yoga classes, and attendees could try VR experiences. For giveaways, attendees were encouraged to use the Twitter vending machine for Lululemon-branded socks and water bottles. Catering emphasized Austin brands, from Juice Society to acai bowls from Blenders and Bowls.
Photo: Courtesy of Luleumon
Luluemon's Sweatlife House
The space had gender-neutral bathrooms. Door clings inside the restroom had messages such as "Be your badass self," "My, you look powerful today,” and "Love is love is love is love is love." A wall decal read, "Everyone is welcome to pee and poop here."
Photo: Courtesy of Luluemon
The Experience by Dell Technologies
The technology company used its SXSW presence to highlight and support small businesses, with programming, a small business brunch, creators market, and more. The space featured booths where people could network or use for reporting or recording purposes to create their own content. Lacy Maxwell Experiential produced the experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Dell
The Experience by Dell Technologies
The experience highlighted the company's sustainability efforts. A mural was made with ink created from captured soot from diesel generators in New Delhi.
Photo: Courtesy of Dell
Twitter’s #TwitterHouse
Twitter’s house, produced with creative agency N/A Collective, hosted programming and events throughout SXSW. A brunch held on International Women’s Day featured Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o. During the event, Twitter partner Jewelry by Cari offered customizable bracelets and necklaces with hashtags of attendees’ choosing. Other programming included was an improvisation session with the cast of television show Barry, a conversation with Mark Cuban and Arlan Hamilton, a chess battle with Garry Kasparov, and more. Twitter also partnered with other companies for events: There was the CNN/BuzzFeed News/Axios brunch, as well as a live taping of BuzzFeed’s AM2DM show.
Photo: Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Twitter
Facebook Art House
Social media company Facebook highlighted its artist in residence program, produced with We’re Magnetic. The team held workshops and panels at the Facebook space while also creating installations to showcase their talents. The star was the live-painting of a giant mural outside of the building facing one of the city’s major highways, painted by more than 15 local artists.
Photo: Anna Mazurek
Sony Wow Studio
Sony’s theme this year was all about allowing technology help creativity grow. The exhibits included the Cave Without a Light, where groups of people played the drums in a blacked-out room; the Flow Machines, where a computer helped people write music; and the Fragment Shadow, which displayed shadow projections.
Photo: Courtesy of Sony
ADP's Smash the Ceiling
HR software company ADP and Wired magazine allowed people to physically break through workplace barriers. Guests had to answer the question of “What are you #WorkingFor?” with four choices, which led to different scenarios, like breaking the glass ceiling or finding work/life balance. They were suited up in protective gear (jumpsuits, goggles, helmet, gloves, boots), picked their weapon of choice (bats, golf clubs, sledgehammers). The destruction was captured with cameras, resulting in a slow-motion video. Fresh Wata produced the activation.
Photo: Callie Richmond
Produce Marketing Association's Global Street Farm
The health-focused activation from the trade association, produced by Collide, offered attendees freshly made flower bouquets provided by Texas grocery store chain HEB, as well as floral crowns and smoothies displayed in recyclable cartons.
Nadia Chaudhury for BizBash
Activision's Blizzard Media Arcade
Video game publisher Activision created a fun house to highlight its library including video games like Candy Crush and Call of Duty and arcade games like skee ball and air hockey. Out front was its Guitar Hero setup, enticing passersby to watch. N/A Collective produced the activation.
Photo: Courtesy of Activision
DC's #LongLiveTheBat
Comic book publisher DC used Austin’s bat phenomenon (where the winged creatures leave their nests underneath the Congress Avenue bridge every evening in a swarm) to their advantage as part of its 80th anniversary celebrations for Batman. The iconic bat signal was projected onto the river and the character also was depicted in a mural.
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. and DC Comics
