SXSW will always be an event that I love attending and partaking in the innovation. This past conference will easily a highlight of the 2018 year. The most that important aspects that SXSW offer is its ability to affect the future of people who attended with the sharing of knowledge and connections made in one week. I have previously attended SXSW as an intern providing media content for the week, which was enriching and my first time experiencing SXSW. However, this year working with my fellow colleges covering the amazing speakers and panels that presented during the conference portion of SXSW was more than I could ever ask for.
While last year I was able to work covering all aspects of Interactive, Film and Music. This year was more enriching because I was able to focus more on the ideas and knowledge shared by the featured speakers and panels during SXSW conference portion. I was also given the chance to connect before the conference with the speakers, learn about their topic and what they will be discussing in their panel. During SXSW I was able to also attend other panels that I had personal professional interest in or panels that I had no knowledge of the topic or profession. This aspect is what made my journey covering the conference enjoyable but also boarding my knowledge of other fields of interest.
The highlights for the celebrity panels was sitting in on the VP of Apple Eddy Cue and listening to him talk about Apple and the behind process of Apple’s structure and goals. I was also able to able to listen in on Alex Rodriguez panel about his career, struggles and what he was planning for his future. My personal favorite was walking in on a surprise interview with the cast from This Is Us. While they still had not had their panel in the bigger halls I was able to hear them talk about the show in a small coffee lounge with a few people that happened to be there as well. This is a great example of how the unexpected guest and surprises that take place at SXSW.
On the technology side of SXSW, I tried to branch out and listen to something that I did not know very much about. So I stumbled into a panel about the future of AI where I learned about the technology advances that are underway as well the possibility of robots in our home is close in the future of tech. I was also able to interview a company called ispace and the SXSW Tradeshow, who explained that they are working on a technology to help learn and about the resource on the moon an incorporating that into resources on earth.
Personally, for my professional career and work in the media, I really enjoyed the panel with Amber Venz Box from rewardStyle. She talked about how mobile apps are changing the world for brands and gave the inside scoop on how Instagram is one of the next platforms that brands will be using to help interact and reach consumers. Another great Instagram panel was one where four professionals that worked for Instagram gave their insight on the fashion, music, journalism and celebrities strategizing behind the social meid platform.
Overall, this year SXSW was the best that I have been able to be a part of. The experience of meeting like-minded individuals and listening to the important talks of change and innovation will be the biggest take away from this year. Especially during this time of change and growth in the world, SXSW provided people and discussions had is the most enriching aspect I was able to learn from this experience. I hope to continue attending SXSW and continue learning and discussion with the leaders of our future.
-Annabel