SXSW: Why no one’s festival is better than someone’s conference

What do 50 Cent, NASA and Joss Whedon’s take on Much Ado About Nothing have in common?

On first glance very little, however over the next week and a half they – and many others – will share a city, an audience, and most likely a trending hashtag. Yes, it’s time for #SXSW again.

So what draws us to Austin when there are so many other conferences, festivals and industry hootenannies happening around the world?

SXSW is unique because it’s largely user-generated, with panels proposed and then voted upon by attendees. As well as making for an incredibly diverse program – and pushing people’s FOMO levels to stratospheric heights – this means that the greatest inspiration comes not from on high but rather from beside you.

The net result of nine days of user-generated programming is that SXSW occupies a unique position as a festival for both everyone – and also no one in particular. Let me explain.

The advertising industry has Cannes (so much nicer than anywhere else, n’est pas?)

The automotive industry has Detroit. And Paris. And Geneva (huh?). 

And for good measure, fans of sustainable construction materials, pavement engineering and infrastructure can look forward to, well, The 12th International Conference On Sustainable Construction Materials, Pavement Engineering and Infrastructure.

While it seems that every industry takes the opportunity for its members to down tools, get away from it all in order to, well, talk about work, SXSW has found a position as the conference for no one in particular, and in the process has become the festival for everyone. I love to go because as someone who works in advertising, it’s not an advertising conference, meaning that there’s exposure to people and ideas from other industries. After all, what are we going to learn if we keep hanging out with the people whom we work with?

Oh yes – there’s also another reason to go, the food’s great. I mean where else in the world can you get a chicken Pad Thai taco? After midnight? From a food truck? Recommended by Zagat?

So let the trending hashtags, ambient location services and whatever is this year’s breakthrough technology begin.

James Quinlan
Director of social media
DDB Australia