SXSW 2019 Round Up - Our Favorite Activations and Ideas

Fresh on the heels of SXSW we have a look at EMERGING TRENDS and BEST ACTIVATIONS that the event industry should know about.

Wellness, Techlash, Higher Purpose, Women and Experiental Marketing top the list in 2019. We love how the following activations wove these themes together in a memorable way.

HBO  and The American Red Cross - Will You Bleed For The Throne?
Immersive - Experiental - Higher Purpose - and very memorable! 

GOT fans have already marked their calendars. The final season launches in April 2019. HBO celebrated by creating Westeros at Austin's Fair Market and immersing guests in a GOT World for a 3-day long blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross.
“We are incredibly excited to mobilize the global army of Game of Thrones fans to make a positive impact on the world,” said Zach Enterlin, evp of program marketing at HBO, in a statement. “In partnership with the American Red Cross, we’re creating a unique platform to engage our tremendously passionate fan base, and ultimately showcase the bravery and valor of those fans who will go so far as to bleed for the throne.”
80+ actors and musicians in authentic costumes greeted the guests who had made reservations online to participate in the blood drive.
Rideshare app Lyft participated by giving donors up to $10 in free rides to the blood and Shake Shack offered free food.
The large, expensive effort paid off. Over 3000 people donated blood during the drive in Austin. Even better: the resulting media coverage triggered an uptick in nationwide interest. Sign up of new donors rose by 40 percent during the same time frame.

Viceland Skateland - Retro, Experiental, Immersive Fun and Athletic Wellness in a transformed space.

Media company Vice was challenged to top their 2018 activation, the famous, cute, cuddly baby goats on the Viceland Bus.
They came up with Skateland and utilized a technique we love to deploy ourselves: reinventing an existing space for a completely new purpose. Austinites rubbed their eyes in disbelief at the sight of the 80s Retro Skateland in what is usually a bland downtown parking lot.
Live DJs played 80s music, a cotton candy machine fit the retro vibe, VICE handed out branded swag and the classic VICELAND bus backdropped the location. The public was invited to participate in Retro Skate Parties and experience live artist performances. Skates were available for rent.

Megan Kirsch, Viceland’s svp of marketing and creative, explains in an interview with Adweek: “It happened that SXSW is doing this whole kind of ’80s nostalgic hip-hop theme so it kind of meshed perfectly. We want to always just have a really immersive one-on-one experience with the consumer, so we thought, why don’t we do something with roller skating? For 2019 we asked: How can we go bigger and better, knowing that it really aligns with consumers and with our brand? We like to have a good time. Vice is a bit of a party brand,” she said. “People really feel that with us, that they can have an authentic experience and a fun time and bond with people.”

Vice used the activation to premiere its Vice Studios film The Beach Bum, starring Austinite Matthew McConaughey, and to promote and broadcast its new show VICE Live from Skateland.

Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold and The Big Quiet, with artist Miguel, Bring the Calm with First-Ever Sunset Mass Meditation at SXSW - Beer and Meditation - yes, Wellness as part of a brewery event.

Who would have thunk it? Michelob succeeded beyond any one's expectation by creating a very surprising, large scale public event, the Sunset Mass Meditation. The event took place at an outdoor amphitheater, back-dropped by the Austin skyline and the Texan Colorado River. 2000 attendees followed The Big Quiet founder Jesse Israel's instructions in the lengthy mass meditation, followed by musical entertainment featuring three acoustic songs by three artists accompanied by live string ensembles. Once meditation and music had concluded, beer was served.

The innovative activation generated much conversation and commentary on social media and traditional media coverage.
Michelob ULTRA is a certified organic beer marketing to health conscious millennials. The activation fit the demographic. It is also an extension of previous activations by this company.
The team behind Michelob Ultra Pure Gold has created similar activations, like yoga sessions at the Anheuser-Busch brewery or the ‘sunset sessions’ on a yacht in Miami. The brand is also the official sponsor of the World Surf League’s Founder’s Cup and built a branded surf deck at the event.

Comcast/NBCUniversal House - Clear The Shelter Campaign. - many trends at work. And in one word: irresistible.

The media giant had a lot to promote and did so expertly with experiental, interactive experiences to promote its film and television content.

We just love the Higher Purpose angle: the Puppy Lounge.

Comcast/NBCUniversal teamed up with Michelson Found Animals Foundation for the annual "Clear the Shelters" campaign. Exhausted SXSW attendees took advantage of the puppies' emotional support and stress reducing skills in droves. Social media response went through the roof and many pups found forever homes. Can you say "awwww"?

We have seen puppies at event industry conferences as well and we hope this trend continues. We would love to include it in our work!

Splash x Kendra Scott Flagship Store Opening - an event that centered around women, empowerment and community.

Jewelry powerhouse Kendra Scott created a multi-pronged event around the stunning opening event of its Austin flagship store.

The store includes the brand’s famous Color Bar where shoppers can design their own jewelry, a Sips & Sweets café, and even a frosé machine, all of which created an appropriate setting for a discussion on experiential marketing.

The morning kicked off with a workshop with Radha Agrawal, CEO and co-founder of Daybreaker, during which she shared her strategy for building meaningful communities (Daybreaker’s community is nearly half a million strong). Next, a panel of female marketing and events leaders from brands like LinkedIn, Tableau, InVision, and Kendra Scott shared their take on data-driven experiences.

In-between all the expert insights, guests got to personalize their own piece of Color Bar jewelry, sip on frosé, enjoy breakfast treats, and meet plenty of new friends and connections.

The event also included a Higher Purpose: Kendra Scott's mission is rooted in philanthropy. 20% of all proceeds from jewelry purchased at the event were donated to The Refuge, a local charity for girls who are survivors of sex trafficking. 

We are looking forward to incorporating these trends in our productions.
Puppies and kittens!

Thank you for reading.