SXSW All Wrapped Up—in Environmentally-friendly Packaging
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Sydney recently hosted SXSW, a pop-up pageant of industry talks, music artists, climate-change conferences, and a myriad of brand activations—where no idea is too big and no freebie is passed up. Among the thousands of attendees was UMM’s PR team, who was on the ground, eager to dive into the action and experience the dynamic impact of brand partnerships firsthand.
In case you missed it, here’s Senior PR Account Director Yvonne Kong’s key takeaways (besides a tote bag full of sweet treats)
1. It takes a village. An agency village.
First up: a panel on how The ICONIC, once the scrappy new kid turned trusted titan, ditched the traditional metrics playbook for bold brand-building for their latest campaign. In a market where even giants grapple with the cost-of-living crunch, their agencies dared the brand to prioritise brand-building over short-term conversions.
Spanning social, creative, digital, and OOH touchpoints, the campaign was a true collaborative effort across agencies. It’s a reminder that as an integrated creative agency working with specialists across diverse industries, the more we unite, the more power we have to shape campaigns. While sales teams may hesitate to invest in brand-building over immediate sales, the success of the “Got You Looking” campaign shows it’s time to rethink the KPI playbook. After all, it takes a village to raise a child—and an agency village to elevate a brand.
2. Reduce your footprint, increase your brand’s impact
The afternoon session saw the Payback Project discuss how our industry can champion sustainability practices. With greenwashing and poor sustainability practices lurking, it’s key to recalibrate how environmental consciousness shapes a brand image. Simply handing out paper straws won’t cut it; today’s consumers are backing brands that match their values and putting their money where their mouths are (literally).
Investing in sustainability, like brand building, is a long-term game. What seemed a novelty five years ago, like recycling programs and carbon offsets, are now must-haves for consumers when choosing where to shop. The message is: plant your seeds today—don’t wait five years to offset the impact of cutting down a tree.
3. Everything’s online these days (except it’s not).
Break Time. We headed to MailChimp’s email is dead activation, a dynamic exhibition showcasing the history of email. We were immersed in the sound, smell, and look of email—from its very beginnings to the daily refresh we are all too familiar with. We then strolled down to Amazon’s Primeville Sweet Spot, where sweet treats were dished out, like candy-coated versions of their Prime Video offerings. What a tough day at the office.
Both activations were strong reminders that there are always more touchpoints to tap into. Even for online-only services like Amazon and MailChimp, there are bold ways to bring your brand to life. Get creative, put your brand front and centre, and make it impossible to ignore.
4. What works for you, works for us.
Back to business, and we’re tuning into the recent stats uncovered by the Global Women in PR Annual Index. Here’s a jaw-dropper: the average working age of women across Australia is 39, but it’s just 32 in the communications industry. Ooft.
Why? Well, the traditional pyramid structure the comms industry adopts is typically a one-size-fits-all track: coordinator, executive, manager, director—you know the drill. The hierarchical setup bottlenecks opportunities at the top, as not everyone can be a manager, especially those who don’t want to lead or need flexibility. The result? Those who require more flexible options are hit the hardest—aka women.
So, what’s the fix? Tackling ageism and workplace equality in just one hour? That’s a tall order. However, the panel shared valuable insights.
We’re a creative industry, and our roles should reflect this. Let’s think outside the box (or pyramid) with innovative solutions. The panel suggested roles like “senior counsel,” where talented experts can thrive without the burden of fitting into rigid positions. More flexibility means more talented, experienced women in the industry, creating a powerful ripple effect.
5. So you activated, now what?
As SXSW ends, I walk home through the CBD and notice, “Oh, there’s a bus stop sign for the MailChimp activation.” Then I hop onto TikTok, and my FYP is filled with influencer videos trying out Amazon’s Sweet Spot. Hmmm, I’m sensing a pattern here.
One thing is abundantly clear: the activations were just one part of a very well-executed 360-degree marketing campaign. Proving, don’t just dip your toe in— take a dive. Because it’s not just about the activation; it’s the comprehensive strategy that keeps the brand top of mind. That’s easier said than done with tight budgets, but the takeaway is the same. Let’s bolster your campaigns with geo-targeted social posts and follow-up EDMs for a truly holistic marketing approach.
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And just like that, another SXSW comes to a close. We will catch you there next year.
Want to make your brand the talk of next year’s SXSW? Get in touch with us, and we’ll make it possible.
