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YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO SXSW INTERACTIVE 2018

WELCOME TO THECURRENT GUIDE

For both first timers and longstanding attendees, SXSW Interactive is one of the most exhilarating, educational, insightful and inspiring events at the intersection of tech, culture and design.

That said, it’s also one of the most overwhelming and exhausting, with hundreds of panel sessions, keynote talks, meet-ups, happy hours, parties and more to make your way to. Not sure what to do when The Terminator is on stage, but there are tacos calling your name?

Never fear, TheCurrent Guide sums up the best of everything you need to know, providing you with the tools to optimize your planning.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 9 AI: Transforming Luxury, Fashion and Beauty When: 11am-12pm Who: Guive Balooch (L’Oréal), Megan Berry (By Reveal), Tony Pinville (Heuritech) and Kenya Wiley (Fashion Innovation Alliance) Why: We’ll be kickstarting our trip with this deep dive into how the all-new world of AI is impacting customer service for fashion and beauty brands. Balooch from L’Oréal has long been one of our favorite speakers and is always one not to miss as a leading innovator in the space. Do More. Do Things That Were Previously Impossible When: 11am-12pm Who: Tim O’Reilly (O’Reilly Media) What: Having coined the term “Web 2.0”, O’Reilly is an authority on all things tech, and will spend this session focusing on how companies should be playing offense rather than defense against the competition. His inspiration: Jeff Bezos through to Elon Musk. Developing for the Age of Digital Assistants When: 3:30pm-4:30pm Who: Brad Abrams (Google) Why: Needless to say voice technology continues as a big focus at SXSW this year, and Google is well in on the conversation with its Assistant and the shift that’s happening with the way humans interact with computers as a result. Why Ethereum is Going to Change the World When: 3:30pm-4:30pm Who: Joseph Lubin (Ethereum & Consensys) Why: There is no escaping blockchain at this year’s festival, and who better than the founder of ConsenSys and co-founder of Ethereum, to dive into the vision for a decentralized future enabled by this technology.

Standing at the Crossroads of Fashion’s Future When: 5pm-6pm Who: Liz Bacelar (TheCurrent) and José Neves (Farfetch) Why: If there’s one talk not to miss on day one, it’s this conversation between our founder and the CEO of fashion’s unicorn, Farfetch, ahead of its planned $5bn IPO. The discussion will cover everything from how disrupting the e-commerce space has redefined the industry, to exploring the Store of the Future concept.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10 How Bioengineering Fashion can Change the World When: 9:30am-10:30am Who: Rachel Arthur (TheCurrent), Erik Bang (H&M Foundation), Suzanne Lee (Modern Meadow) and Dan Widmaier (Bolt Threads) Why: Get yourself up and out early for this session exploring how a new material revolution is looking to change the damage the fashion industry is doing to the planet. Our chief intelligence officer will chat with three mega names innovating the way they’re working, including by growing spider silk and leather in a lab. Featured Speaker: Whitney Wolfe Herd When: 11am-12pm Who: Whitney Wolfe Herd (Bumble) and Gayle King (CBS) Why: We’re a bit obsessed with the idea of a dating app becoming a networking app and just exactly how it’s shifting the way people connect online and off. Wolfe Herd is of course the big name in this space, and with 26 million users thus far, she can’t be wrong. Innovate or Perish, how Tech will Shape Fashion When: 11am-12pm Who: Waraire Boswell, Barry Mcgeough (PVH Innovation Next) and Syuzi Pakhchyan (BCG Digital Ventures) Why: If Bumble isn’t your bag, McGeough from PVH is reason

Our pick of the top talks to go to throughout the festival – from a big focus on artificial intelligence to a push on all things blockchain, an added splash of fashion, retail and beauty (as is our prerogative), not to mention a leap into the future to get your braincells turning.

SESSIONS

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reason enough to head to this session whether you’re interested in fashion or not. The fact there’s a dose of AI and personalization being discussed, as well as VR and AR and its impact on the way we shop, only makes it all the more relevant. Accounting for Human Tastes: Marketing and A.I. When: 12:30-1:30 Who: Melanie Babcock (The Home Depot), Alex Heath (Cheddar), Arun Ranganathan (Pinterest) and Rachel Weiss (L’Oreal USA) Why: Back on the AI train for this talk exploring how machines can actually “see” things and understand what they are. If you want some tangible takeaways, this one sounds like a goer – it will particularly show how brands are using insights and machine learning to move people from inspiration to action. The Secrets of Cult Brands When: 5pm-6pm Who: Spike Jones (Spredfest), Alissa Lieppman (NFL), Jeff Taylor (Instagram) and Ali Weiss (Glossier) Why: Advocacy is the ultimate dream for a marketer, making those that have achieved it truly worth hearing from. Glossier, NFL and Instagram are three of the top ones. They’ll be talking about their cult status and how they’ve turned fondness into die-hard loyalty.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11 How Brands Who Speak Gen Z Slay When: 11am-12pm Who: Dwight Caines (Thesis), Rebecca Coleman (Something Massive), Samantha Skey (SheKnows Media) and Elizabeth Toney (Maddie by Maddie Ziegler/Nowadays) Why: The title says it for itself – basically a deep dive into how marketers are capturing both Generation Z’s attention and their share of wallet. Expect them to whizz through examples on how to engage across multiple channels, visuals and service offerings. Break & Re-Make Your Brand with Uber When: 12:30-1:30 Who: Bozoma Saint John (Uber) and Jo Ling Kent (NBC News) Why: Shifting the culture and perception of a business like Uber - no stranger to controversy with a reputation to accompany it – is no small feat. Credit then to Bozoma Saint John, the woman taking it on. She’ll be sharing tips and strategies for evolving brands with bold campaigns and compelling storytelling.

Time’s Up! Shifting the Imbalance of Power When: 12:30-1:30 Who: Fatima Goss Graves (National Women’s Law Center) and Hilary Rosen (SKDKnickerbocker) Why: The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have moved from Hollywood to nearly every other industry we can think of, including of course, tech. It’s only right this huge cultural shift we’re currently witnessing and the changes set ahead is placed front and center at this year’s show, and who better placed than those leading it.

Keynote: Melinda Gates When: 2pm-3pm Who: Melinda Gates, Stacey Brown-Philpot (TaskRabbit) and Joanna Coles (Hearst Magazines) Why: Sunday’s keynote is all about the American workforce and the transformation it’ undergone over the past 50 years. The all-female panel will explore the way new technologies, new business models, and new social movements are redefining what it means to go to work. Business on the Blockchain When: 3:30pm-4:30pm Who: Amber Baldet (JPMorgan) and Brian Behlendorf (The Linux Foundation) Why: Our second blockchain-focused session promises to dive into exactly what this technology, as well as cryptocurrencies, mean for businesses in the future. The duo will discuss how the choices we make today – some incredibly technical, some undeniably human – are shaping the next generation of e-commerce.

MONDAY, MARCH 12 Eddy Cue: Curation in Media – Why it Matters When: 11am-12pm Who: Eddy Cue (Apple) and Dylan Byers (CNN) Why: Curation matters. Enough said. So does content. So when there’s a chance to hear from the guy who runs this for Apple’s iTunes Store and Apple Music, and oversees the new team responsible for video programming at the brand, we’ll be first in line. The Real Thing: Machine Learning and Coca-Cola When: 11am-12pm Who: Michael Connor (The Coca-Cola Company), Mars Cyrillo (CI&T), Jennifer Kite-Powell (Forbes) and Thomas Stubbs (The Coca-Cola Company) Why: We know, we know, decision-making is really hard. Apple or Coca-Cola? If you want to get to grips with real world examples of machine learning, this one is for you. The team will share in-market prototype research and actual

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actual customer engagements that have driven Coca-Cola’s current thinking in the space.

A Conversation with Ernest Cline When: 12:30pm-1:30pm Who: Ernest Cline (author) Why: In the market to fully geek out? We are slightly falling off our seats with anticipation for this session with the author behind sci-fi novel Ready Player One, which has since been adapted into a Steven Spielberg film releasing later this month. Virtual reality, social networking reaches a whole new level. How NASA and LEGO Embrace Open Innovation When: 12:30pm-1:30pm Who: Jason Crusan (NASA), James Dejulio (Tongal) and Amy Pascal (The Lego Group) Why: At TheCurrent, our entire methodology is built around open innovation, which as this session explains, is all about inviting outside people in so as to generate better ideas faster and more efficiently in order to solve your biggest challenges. NASA and Lego are two of the most forward-thinking organizations in the space. Create the World You Want to Live In When: 3:30pm-4:30pm Who: Karlie Kloss (Klossy), Eric Liedtke (Adidas) and Guy Raz (NPR) Why: “We live in a world where the brands we love can help solve the issues we care about, and where one person’s story, shared at scale, can inspire a movement,” reads the write-up for this session, touting the nonprofit of supermodel Karlie Kloss and the power of sport for adidas as two examples of creating a better tomorrow for our planet and its population. TUESDAY, MARCH 13 Free Radical: Chelsea Manning with Sally Singer When: 9:30am-10:30am Who: Chelsea Manning and Sally Singer (Vogue) Why: Manning changed the course of history when she released hundreds of thousands of government documents. Less than a year after being released from prison, she hits SXSW to discuss her new life, radical politics, and the consequences of unchecked state power. Sounds like a great start to the final day at the festival.

Just Press Go: Waymo’s Self-Driving Cars Are Here When: 11am-12pm Who: John Krafcik (Waymo) Why: What would SXSW be without at least one reference to

to the autonomous vehicles? Waymo is in the hotseat for this conversation talking about its goal to build the world’s most experienced driver that can take people and things anywhere with just the press of a button.

Keynote: Nonny de la Peña When: 11am-12pm Who: Nonny De La Peña (Emblematic Group) Why: Best practices for storytelling in virtual and augmented reality is slowly but surely going to become something we’ll all be thinking about, whichever one you believe in more. This keynote from the so-called “Godmother of VR”, an expert in immersive journalism, dives into an intention to democratize content production. Keynote: Whurley When: 2pm-3pm Who: William Hurley (Strangeworks) Why: Ending the week on a dash of quantum computing sounds like a good idea, right? Whurley, as he’s known, will dig into the way in which it’s set to impact artificial intelligence and meteorology, molecular modeling and particle physics, next-gen cryptography, and even bitcoin and blockchain. The perfect brain tingler. Disrupting Dystopia: The Bruce Sterling Talk When: 5pm-6pm Who: Bruce Sterling (Beyond the Beyond) Why: Simply put, if you’re still in town, this is a must-attend. Sterling delivers a closing talk every year, referred to as his “annual rant”, that highlights his thoughts on the week, and his take on the world at large, in a way that is always the perfect memorable ending.

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Catch our founder L iz Bacelar on stage for a big interview with none other than Farfetch CEO José Neves.

Friday March 9, 5:00pm Four Seasons

There are three chances to catch our team in an official capacity at SXSW this year, but lots more time to grab a bite over tacos or cocktails! Get in touch to say hi.

THECURRENT AT SXSW

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Learn about biotech’s impact on the future of fashion with our chief intelligence officer Rachel Arthur in conversation with Bolt Threads, Modern M e a d o w a n d t h e H & M Foundation.

Saturday March 10, 9.30am Four Seasons

Join our fashion, luxury and retail meet-up for an opportunity to meet the team, explore what’s pushing the industry forward & chat about the untraditional partnerships at the forefront of innovation.

Saturday March 10, 5:00pm JW Marriott

Hermèsmatic by Hermès When: March 9-18 Luxury brand Hermès is bringing Hermèsmatic - a laundromat-inspired customization and repair service - to this year’s festival to offer fans the chance to update their vintage scarves via washing and dip-dying services. But luxury novices needn’t worry, as you will also be able to purchase the brand’s iconic scarves on site. Considering how fashion-heavy this year’s main schedule is, we predict this will be a popular stop-by. hermes.com/us/en/story/107636-hermesmatic

Hear what you see. Experience Bose AR. by Bose When: March 10 Bose is launching its audio augmented reality platform, which helps people hear what they see, at this year’s festival, and attendees will be able to catch a first glimpse and watch demonstrations. If you are as curious about “audio AR” as we are, head to the event’s page for more information on time and location. schedule.sxsw.com/2018/events/OE2594

UA Hovr House by Under Armour When: March 9-11 Although lacking in detail, Under Armour’s use of the phrase “zero gravity” was enough to pique our interests in this event. The immersive, multisensory experience is helping launch the brand’s latest cushioning technology, Hovr. Attendees will be able to experience zero gravity by testing out the shoes on an elevated track. UAhovrhouse.com/austin

Beyond the myriad of parties, meet-ups and BBQs, SXSW is also a haven for brand activations. Omnipresent digital giants such as Pinterest and YouTube are returning to host houses this year, while female-led spaces are celebrating empowerment with panels and networking opportunities. As is the nature of the festival, there is bound to be more surprises to come: we’re calling Google doing something spectacular around voice. Here are our tips for the activations we know you’ll be hearing a lot about during Interactive otherwise.

EVENTS

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Live Without Limits by HBO’s Westworld When: March 9-11 Arguably the most coveted event happening this year (our founder Liz has considered selling a kidney in order to get her hands on a ticket). HBO is building a replica of the fictional town of Sweetwater to kick off marketing activity around Westworld’s second season. The immersive experience is said to last two hours and include robotic characters roaming the set. Taking place at a secret location, the event is currently sold out - but look out for additional ticket releases on Twitter. discoverwestworld.com

World of Wonder by CNN’s Great Big Story When: March 10-11 CNN’s storytelling agency is hosting an activation that will transport guests into exotic locations to explore tastes, sounds and cultures. The immersive experience will enable guests to tiptoe through a garden of deadly tulips and escape a larger-than-life claw machine. gbsworldofwonder.eventfarm.com

G-Store by Gatorade When: March 9 Gatorade’s speakeasy-style experience begins at a typical convenience store, with a stockroom where guests can partake in tech-driven sports gaming. If the brand’s NY pop-up earlier this year is any indication, guests will have to complete tasks to gain access to the space, which could include customization stations and exercise classes. schedule.sxsw.com/2018/events/OE3010

SXSW is fun and inspirational, but also an incredibly overwhelming experience. If you leave feeling like you took on so much information that you don’t know what to do next, you’re not alone.

TheCurrent is offering brands and agencies a thought-provoking, one-off, on-site briefing on SXSW 2018. Our team’s experience of over 15 years in journalism, trend-forecasting and strategy, as well as the fact we’ve been attending SXSW for almost as long, places us front and center to bring contextual analysis to what is relevant today, from the newest tech to the latest in experiential marketing and beyond.

Our briefing will enable you to understand what is important and relevant to your organization, all the while allowing other members of your team who couldn’t attend the festival to get up to speed.

To find out more and to book your spot today, get in touch via contact@thecurrentglobal.com.

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