Looking Back at SXSW 2012

By Dan Susong, Vice President & Reid Schwartz, Account Executive

Well, another SXSW Interactive has come and gone, and Austin has finally returned to normal. Well, our own version of normal. Here at Edelman Austin, we were lucky this year to be able to play host to more than 50 Edelman colleagues from throughout the network representing more than 40 Edelman clients. Through our own experiences at the event and by chatting with a few of the thousands who descended upon our fair city, we’ve come up with a few key takeaways from SXSW 2012 – beyond the fact that people don’t like cold rainy weather in Austin!

How big is too big? Perhaps the most common theme we heard was that SXSW Interactive has expanded into somewhat of a monstrosity. Several colleagues and general conference-goers suggested that the interactive portion might have become a bit unwieldy. Kicked off with two-hour lines for badge pick up, followed by more parties, panels and proceedings than anyone could possibly fit in and topped with thousands of promotions and gimmicks, many feel like this spring break for geeks has outgrown itself.

The year of the gimmick? If you paid any attention to media coverage at all, you’ll know about homeless hotspots. An idea from BBH Labs, this “humanitarian effort” sparked much controversy among SXSW attendees and national media alike. Right or wrong, it represents the intensity of efforts to make noise at SXSW 2012.

Still relevant. In spite of logistical snafus, bad weather, massive crowds and tons of clutter, this year’s SXSW Interactive was probably more relevant than ever to the broader culture, with major national media tech and business press having a strong presence throughout Interactive, with a watchful eye over what innovations are being highlighted or announced in Austin.

A new perspective. Several attendees we spoke to felt that this year more than any other, SXSW was about being able to bring out the really innovative and creative spirit of startups. For years, big businesses with a presence at SXSWi have dominated conversations, but this year we saw breakouts of small startup ecosystems start to happen. Women were also a force to be reckoned with this year. Countless event attendees noted the increase in number of women – on their flights to Austin, in attendance at panels, networking around Austin, etc. One attendee we spoke to said she is “seeing more women who are taking risks, becoming founders and starting their own companies.”

Networking, networking, networking. No matter how you felt about this year’s event, there’s one thing everyone seems to agree on: some of the best networking we do all year happens at SXSWi. People from all walks of life take over Austin for one week… people you might not otherwise have the resources or access to meet with… people from previous lives that they only see once a year in Austin… and it’s a huge chance to do business we might not otherwise be able to.

As we look at SXSW 2012 in the rearview mirror, these are just a few of our thoughts, takeaways and memories. We look forward to seeing an even bigger crowd next year. Until then, in the spirit of recapping the event that was, have a look at a t-shirt worn by many Austinites during the event this year (no offense to our colleagues in Dallas!)