Understanding concepts of Web3 (the next phase of the internet), metaverse (the ‘future of technology’) and NFTs (new digital records) is one of the biggest challenges for today’s marketer. The subjects were part of the macro-theme of this edition of the SXSW (South by Southwest) festival, which took place in March, in Austin, Texas (USA).
The event, held since 1987, is considered the largest forum for innovation and creative economy in the world. This year, it received around 20,000 participants who were able to attend 1,460 lectures and presentations on subjects such as technology, creativity, education, health, music, films and games.
At SXSW this year, there was a lot of talk about “reperception”: the ability to become aware of something new in the midst of established information or scenarios—that is, to notice what others have missed.
The provocation took shape mainly in the voice of futurist Amy Webb, founder of the Future Today Institute, and was echoed in several other panels. The ability to “recognise” what’s around us can result in creativity and innovation in the face of challenges, rule #1 for successful marketers.
Trends need to influence the future
“Trends alone are not enough. We need to use them to help us influence the future. Remember to question your assumptions about how business works. That way, you will look at trends with more curiosity and see new opportunities, new risks. We need to practice awareness every day,” Amy said on her panel.
A “new” contemporary culture will also dictate the rules of relationship between brands and people. Companies will need to have greater civic engagement, they must fight against unconscious (and conscious) biases of prejudice in society, in addition to acting more incisively in relation to the creation of smart cities, expansion of health and housing.
In addition to these, other analyzes are present in a special report prepared by GoAd Media, a curation network that includes journalists, designers and researchers. The document is sponsored by UOL and support from ABA (Brazilian Association of Advertisers).
The report also highlights other insights from the festival this year, related to games and immersive experiences; space economy; retail & creators economy; media & storytelling; climate emergency and health & inclusion.
ABA conducts debate
To comment on the themes, ABA also held a virtual event yesterday (28) that brought together names who were at this year’s festival. Carolina Braga, Head of Planning & Insights at UOL and Peter de Albuquerque, head of Culture & Creativity at Ambev, gave 6 lessons from this year’s event.
Adriele Sousa, digital manager at Unilever Brazil; Paula Rizzo, head of innovation at Globo and Thais Passarella, superintendent of Marketing and Communication at TecBan, talked about how to apply the lessons learned from SXSW in organizations.
Finally, Adriano Stringhini, director of Corporate Management at Sabesp; Eco Moliterno, chief creative officer of Accenture Song and Etienne Du Jardin, co-founder of Mimo Live Sales, showed Brazilian projects and ideas that were at the festival.
Check out the presentations:
