Thoughts on SXSW 2010 Marketing

The biggest takeaway for me was temporary branded venues. Temporary in the sense that they were only for the duration of the festival but many were in actual brick-and-mortar buildings vs. tents. This is an idea that began at least a few years ago and seems to have really taken off. No surprise there, as it offers a great opportunity for brands to create and control an entire experience for consumers over the span of several days.

Many venues featured free day parties with comp food & beer (a sure way to attract a crowd) and of course live music. Zone Bar’s Live Create Lounge featured laptop stations, wall art that attendees could contribute to, an interactive word-magnet wall (a bigger version of what’s likely on your fridge), a cell-phone charging station and of course plenty of free Zone Bars. Added value fun and convenient stuff is a smart idea.

Other examples include Canada House, British Embassy, and Levi’s Fader Fort, the latter of which partnered with local music charity Health Alliance for Austin Musicians who helped spread the word and benefited from sales of Levi’s apparel. This kind of partnership between national brands and local music-related entities is something I am a big advocate of and would love to help other brands get involved in.

Canada did a nice job of cross-promotion between their venue, a hosted day party open to badge-holders and invited guests (in a different, outdoor location), and a booth at the trade show. Well done. And most importantly they offered great music from bands like Plants and Animals, You Say Party! We Say Die!, Born Ruffians, and Radio Radio. For Canada’s wrap up and a free download of their Canadian Blast SXSW 2010 Sampler, go here.

Should you sponsor SXSW? Yes, IF you have the budget and plan to do something big, cool, exciting. The standard rules of sponsorship have changed, and what’s needed by sponsors are plenty of creative ways to get noticed so that you can engage the audience. With the cacophony of companies vying for attention during this massive fest, only a “go big or go home” approach will work.