The future of conferences and live events places a priority on bringing together thought leaders and influencers from more diverse segments, because creative audiences today want a mashup of tech, arts, and educational experiences.
For almost any kind of conference to evolve significantly in the future, it needs to leverage the collective knowledge of the community using modern technology to create a more inclusive programming schedule.
In a super competitive market to attract high-tech talent, cities are promoting their overall livability and lifestyle attributes as much as their tech economies. At SXSW 2016, they accomplished that with expensive and experiential destination marketing strategies integrating local venues and global panels highlighting the future of business.
While the presence of big name headliners and breakout technologies drive a lot of exposure around SXSW, it's still the face time among speakers, exhibitors, and attendees from different industries that drives the event's success.
By partnering with South by Southwest for the first time, Marriott is targeting a new audience that it coins "experience seekers," while also adding a certain cachet to its loyalty program.
After years of talk and conjecture about event app customization and beacon technology, the 2016 SXSW GO app seems positioned to deliver on those expectations.