Spiro

SXSW 2025 may be in the rearview, but not before brands delivered MORE WEIRD & MORE WOW. Check out these top festival takeaways I lassoed for inspo: ?? ?? ?? Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios invited attendees to Escape with them through seven upcoming 2025 releases. ?? Why it stole our hearts: This wasn’t just an activation—it was a journey. Festival-goers earned custom iron-on patches at each content station & "escaped" the heat while perusing free books from upcoming novel-to-screen adaptations. Each station pulled them deeper into the stories--AND the brand. ?? Dell Technologies jumped on the AI craze by inviting attendees to co-create—using their tech to put festival-goers inside the music video of their choice. ?? Why we nerded out: Dell made AI more than a buzzword. Attendees didn’t just watch—they became part of the experience, walking away with a unique, shareable piece of content made with Dell’s latest tech innovation. ?? Waymo partnered with Uber to give SXSW goers a lift through the crowds—with no human driver. ?? Why this WOWed us: Watching Waymo’s driverless cars navigate festival chaos in real-time, SAFELY, with happy customers inside proved just how far autonomous driving has come—and why it’s here to stay. ?? Whataburger celebrated 75 years by upstaging the MOMA with WMOMA—a museum featuring fan-created artwork dedicated to their famous food. ?? Why it left our mouths watering: Instagrammable, interactive & a delicious nod to their history & consumer fans. Whataburger turned art appreciation into brand appreciation, with striking visuals, selfie-worthy moments & a taste of their newest burger to top it all off. ?? Gorton's came ashore with a big yellow house featuring live music, seafood, merch & cocktails and WEIRD selfie opportunities. ?? Why it rocked: We can't NOT talk about the wall of shrimp cocktails. This Instagrammable martini was just the right kind of weird to get people talking during the party & on social. ?? Amplify Philly’s Keystone House gave festival-goers a place to drink, play & learn about the latest innovations coming out of Pennsylvania. ?? Why it stood out: The gamification worked. Attendees didn’t just walk away with exclusive state-themed merch—they had to earn it by spinning a prize wheel featuring Pennsylvania slang & cultural nods. It was fun, local & memorable. ?? IBM used their Watson analytics to elevate gamification, challenging attendees to table tennis & foosball. ?? Why it got us engaging: IBM really leaned into data-driven gaming as an experiential engagement tool. Watson tracked each player’s moves in real-time, displayed their stats on a projector, & even roasted them with an AI-generated game summary afterward--proving that AI can analyze AND entertain. Are you still tired? I’m still tired. Ready for SXSW 2026! LMK what experiential stood out to you! -Astro OUT. #SXSW #SXSW2025 #SXSWexperiential #experientialmarketing #brandactivations

We partnered with YETI to bring a little southern swagger to C2C with a barn experience built to spark connection, celebration & some serious boot-scootin’. Raising a custom rambler to another fantastic partnership! Cheers Lauren Harley—we call next on YETI-pong. ?? #ExperientialMarketing #BrandPartnership #EventMarketing #CreativeActivation #CustomerEngagement

You can pitch a concept, but can you bring it to life? We don’t just dream up experiences—we engineer every detail, so when it’s go-time, you go in with confidence. #ExperientialMarketing #CreativeExecution #EventStrategy #BrandEngagement #GoodPartner

FIND US CELEBRATING?? Shoutout to our Exhibits Teams for making Exhibitor Group's Find It Top 40! We're excited to ALSO earn the award for Thought Leadership & Industry Participation ?? #Award #ExhibitorLive #EventProfs #ExperientialMarketing #Innovation

Firefly Recovery’s Lauren Campbell was just on Shark Tank! But before pitching to the Sharks, she joined our own Julie Haferkamp at Brand Innovators’ Sports Marketing Upfronts ahead of the Big Game. ? Did you catch the episode? #ExperientialMarketing #IndustryInnovation #BrandActivations #MarketingStrategy #EventMarketing

Hear it from our very own Spiro?nauts: There's no EAR in Spiro! ???? #SayOurName #Spiro #NotSpreero

Brands that capitalized on Brand Love at #SXSW: ? Leaned into their WEIRD ? Designed for maximum brand impact ? Made their activation work beyond Austin Click the link in comments to check out insights from Dane Aloe, our Experiential Intelligence guru! #SXSW2025 #ExperientialMarketing #BrandLove #MarketingImpact #CreativeStrategy #BrandGravity

At Spiro, we focus on the impact YOU want to make. The secret sauce? Partnership, innovation, & accountability that move your brand forward: https://lnkd.in/eUCmDxTP #ExperientialMarketing #BrandImpact #StrategicPartnerships #MarketingInnovation #BusinessGrowth

Experiential success isn’t one-size-fits-all, so why settle for an event strategy that boxes you in? ? The best experiential design is nimble & adaptive—because when experiences are built around your brand goals, they don’t just turn heads. They drive real impact. #ExperientialMarketing #EventStrategy #BrandEngagement #MarketingInnovation #BusinessImpact

A bold, creative take on cultural relevance? We’re lovin’ it. McDonald's Elizabeth Campbell sat down with our Julie Haferkamp to break down how the brand maintains cultural impact through experiential innovation—and ways its All American Games stays top of mind with customers. Cheers to Brand Innovators for keeping the conversation going at the Sports & Culture: Super Bowl Recap #BISummit! ?? #Experiential #Innovation #BrandImpact #BrandLoyalty #MarketingInsights