“Amazing things can happen when a diverse set of people are brought together.” — SXSW Chief Partnerships Officer shares his secret to activations

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We pulled this conversation from our monthly Experience Exec Live event. Our most recent, "Inside SXSW: Peter Lewis Talks Experiential Partnerships,” aired July 30th, 2024 and can be watched for free at this link or on AnyRoad’s LinkedIn page.

“Each brand is unique, with its own history, culture and voice.” Peter Lewis says, “We want to start from a point of consultation - what do you want to create for the audience at SXSW?”

Peter Lewis is the Chief Partnerships Officer of the famed SXSW, best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities.

“We want to be partners—navigators and pilots working in concert to get to their desired destination.”

• Experiential has become huge for brands at SXSW for a good reason — the creative immersive work nets impressive brand awareness and media attention. Peter used The Experience Exec Live to dig into SXSW activation trends in recent years and what resonated most with audiences.?

Going Deeper?

Peter Lewis has been with SXSW for over 15 years, and he’s seen it all. His passion for discovery, evolution, and collaboration was clear throughout the conversation as he explained his process and success in the field.?

Read on to hear more of our favorite insights:

On Peter’s favorite SXSW experience: “The Sharpie x Paper Mate experience is a great - and I think unique - example of this. They invited attendees to use and experience pens and markers, but the design and aesthetic were on point. There was great traffic through the brand house - and despite it being a very tactile set-up, the digital pickup was enormous. I believe they received almost $750 million in earned media.?

What makes a SXSW activation successful is that “SXSW is about discovery. So, the most successful are those who can authentically lean into that joy. One great example from SXSW 2024 was P&G’s Tide activation. They launched a new, more environmentally friendly laundry solution – Tide Evo – that uses fiber tiles instead of pods or detergent. We take a lot of day-to-day things for granted - so it was cool that attendees could see & feel this new product and also hear about the ten years of R&D for something that will authentically impact their day-to-day life. This was a brand having a direct & authentic conversation with its audience - and I heard from countless attendees raving about how cool it was.”?

On how marketers should consider brand evolution: “I think the evolution has been as much with the audience as it is the brands. Audiences are discerning — particularly those at SXSW. They want authenticity and to feel like they are part of the story with a brand."

Do you want more of Peter’s insights? Then watch the whole Experience Exec Live, where we ask:

• What brand success looks like at SXSW
• What Peter seems for in SXSW partners
• And more!

More Like This

If you’re interested in more experiential education, we've gathered up some other community-oriented resources for you:

• Getting better feedback — This is a guide to improving the quality of post-event input and the best questions to ask to get the information you need to deliver better experiences.
• POPLIFE's brand activations make a splash — POPLIFE, a creative immersive agency, worked with a famous artisan mezcal brand and brought its values to life through activations.?
• The Comprehensive Cross-Functional Checklist — This checklist offers quick ideas, meeting types, and more to help your team (and everyone else) improve collaboration.?