SXSW is a cool show in a cool town. One of the things that’s neat about South By is its three parts: Interactive, Film and Music. Interactive is where a lot of the heat is today. POTUS spoke there this year for instance. Some articles hit the wire suggesting Interactive may have jumped the shark, but I don’t think so. Tech is a huge commercial force and it’s only going to grow. But for my money, SXSW Music is the place to be. As someone who helps companies sell shit for a living and who is informed by trends and futures, I look to the independent American musician for what’s next.
The kids arriving in vans and sleeping on floors for South By Music are so much more in touch with what’s up in America than are the smarty flotsam from Stanford, Silicon Valley and other tech havens. I loves me some techies, don’t get me wrong, but grass roots Americana trends are arriving 5 to a car, packed with Amps and warm local beer.
Sundance, Park City’s independent movie festival, used to be like SXSW Music, before turning crazy bougie. But you can still find inspiration there.
For marketers and people in the creative selling arts, spend some time at South By Music and if you have time, do a drive by at Sundance.
Peace.