Amongst the technology, digital natives, sponsors, parties, ideas, startups and even the SxSWi brand itself, there is something bigger and over-arching that embodies and represents the SxSWi event.
It is part culture, part people, part industry, part cyber, part promotion and part buzz… And while I give SxSWi full credit, it does seems bigger than them. I guess like all great brands, SxSWi builds on what is around them and while it may not be clear from time to time who is leading who, it still is the brand’s job to act as the guide and own it.
I think of SxSWi as a brand that is helping to guide us into the digital future, but more importantly I think of them as a brand that makes digital feel real. As you physically, mentally, and digitally take in the event, you can’t help but feel the ‘realness’ of digital all around you and appreciate that the borders are becoming more and more unclear.
A related note regarding these photos: The environment in and around SxSWi is plastered with promotion. In itself it is visually appealing and overwhelming at the same time, but if you sit and look at it closely for a moment, you can see that it is living and digital: QR codes, hashtags, urls, codes, etc.
