7 SXSW Submissions You Need To Vote For

Plus a few of our own! In case you missed it, voting for speaker and panel submissions at next year’s SXSW Interactive kicked off last week. Here at Atlantic Media Strategies, we were excited to see all of the cool ideas that our peers want to discuss at the conference. However, we quickly noticed that most (if not all) of the online content relating to submissions is entirely self-promotional, with organizations plugging their own submissions without mentioning any of the other awesome ideas out there. Not to mention that surveying the 5,000+ submissions might be a bit much of a task for people to take on in their spare time. We know you’re busy, so we’ve decided to fill that void. We poured over the submissions and came up with seven (in no particular order) that you should consider voting for (complete with each session’s description, speakers, and our rationale for each). Mind you, we are a little bit self-promotional — we’ve included our own three SXSW submissions at the end for you to check out as well. From Facebook’s views on mobile consumerism to virtual reality space missions with NASA, here are the submissions worth getting excited about: 1) Design in Tech Report 2017 Photo Credit: KPCBDescription:Today’s most beloved technology products and services balance design and engineering in a way that perfectly blends form and function. Businesses started by designers have created billions of dollars of value, are raising billions in capital, and VC firms increasingly see the importance of design. In the third annual Design and Technology Trends Report, KPCB Design Partner John Maeda will provide a data-driven examination of the intersection of design and technology, and its implications for business. Maeda will draw from his experience working with over a hundred startups across the world in his current role at venture capital firm KPCB. Featuring: John Maeda, Design Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Why this session:Maeda’s third annual Design in Tech Report dives into the design trends that are revolutionizing business and technology — and affecting how we interact with devices, organizations, and each other. For a quick look at the big takeaways from last year’s report, check out Joshua Lasky with these five trends that brands need to know. 2) Mobile news and the end of the article Description: Newsrooms understand the need to move past the print model, but most content is still articles. How can news organizations reinvent the story format without sacrificing news value? Let’s discuss the barriers to new story formats that would deliver personalized combinations of text, audio, notifications, videos, polls, photos, quotes and quizzes to each person as the most impactful version of a story. We would build an app for the audience that would deliver a personalized version of Guardian story to each attendee to jump-start the discussion. In the digital era, newsrooms can’t afford for the word “story” to be synonymous with “article” anymore, so let’s find a better way. Featuring:Sarah Schmalbach, Senior Product Manager, Guardian USSasha Koren, Editor, Guardian US Why this session: A lot has been said about the changing nature of today’s newsrooms, but story formats and presentations are rapidly changing too. This cool meet up with The Guardian’s Mobile Innovation Lab allows the audience to be a part of the conversation on this trend, rather than simply listen to a session on the subject. 3) Moving at a Mobile Minute Photo Credit: FacebookDescription: The thumb is in charge now, and it is demanding. It’s quick to scroll. It’s quick to close. Quick to swipe. But with the right approach, the thumb is also highly likely to stop, engage and buy. At Facebook IQ, we’re taking a closer look at the surprising ways mobile has changed consumer behavior including: How has it shifted consumers’ expectations around the value of money, time, and choice? What can we learn from mobile-first shoppers and verticals? And finally, how can you turn this shift into business impact now, in 2017 and beyond? When marketers understand what matters to people, they can be what matters to their core consumer. We’ll show you how — now that the thumb is in charge. Featuring: Helen Crossley, Global Head of Analytics and Research, Consumer Insights, Facebook Why this session: Who better to speak about the impact of mobile shifts on consumer behavior than someone from Facebook? It is increasingly important for brands to understand how to use mobile to their advantage in connecting with their consumers—particularly in the context of the most-traveled referrer channel. 4) Breakthrough Brands: The Shape of Future Growth Description: Breakthrough Brands is the celebration of the next generation of brands — the startups, upstarts, challengers, problem-solvers, innovators, and category creators. In each of these emerging success stories are valuable growth lessons for brands and businesses of every size, shape and age. Join Facebook, NYSE, Shinola, Chubbies and Interbrand for a candid conversation about breaking through the clutter and emerging brands that are already re-shaping the marketplace as we know it. We’ll discuss moments of significant breakthrough, and the strategies for creativity, connection, and partnership. Featuring: Katherine Shappley, SMB Regional Director, North America, FacebookTom Farley, President, New York Stock ExchangeTom Montgomery, Co-founder and head of marketing, ChubbiesBridget Russo, Chief Marketing Officer, Shinola Why this session: Learning how to break through the clutter of today’s marketplace is a focus that all brands — emerging or established — must have in order to deliver on the promise of their mission. Sustained growth requires strategy and innovation in a crowded market, and this panel should provide interesting success stories along with strategies that any brand can adopt. 5) The Live Impact: Facebook, Periscope & Journalism Anthony Quintano/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)Description: At the core of a good journalist is the ability to storytell, usually via the written word or a video package, but the emergence of live-streaming through social media has helped transform how stories are told. Further, everyday citizens are going Live to share their perspective and help journalists discover untold stories. This panel brings together journalists and social media strategists inside the news bubble to discuss the state of the live-streaming union, how it has changed their perspective of covering stories, what it has done collectively for journalism, and where it will go next. These experts will also provide best practices for “going Live” and answer your questions. Featuring:John Colucci, Social Media Director, Sinclair Broadcast GroupTrey Yingst, Correspondent & Host, One America NewsSarah Glover, Social Media Editor, NBC Owned Television Stations Why this session:Live video is becoming a divisive topic of conversation in media. Its impact and ramifications on the news industry (from why it works so well to what formats appeal to audiences) will be worth considering for all organizations. Just make sure you aren’t putting all of your time and resources into a single content type. 6) Chat is the New Browser, Bots Are the New Websites Description: 2016 is the year of the chat, with everyone going big on bots. Facebook Messenger and Kik launched bot platforms, and Microsoft launched a bot framework. Startups have built business models exclusively around chat and bots, looking to leverage the enormous user numbers of chat apps, and Fortune 500 companies, like Hyatt and United, are equally bullish on chat. And in China, there are more WeChat official accounts (bots) created than websites everyday. So if chat apps are the new browser, are bots the new websites? In this session, Josh Jacobs, president of Kik Services, will discuss the opportunity in chat, and how it’s how it’s unique to previous platforms like social. Featuring:Josh Jacobs, President, Kik Why this session:Some bots are useful. Even more are pretty ugly. It may still be early for the messaging bot sector, but there remains massive potential for brand engagement in chat settings. This session is an opportunity to learn about the opportunity bots present straight from the source—the president of one of the leading options for your burgeoning messaging portfolio. 7) Space 360: Experience NASA Missions in VR/AR/Video Photo Credit: NASADescription: Space exploration has been the realm of robots and astronauts — until now. NASA is using immersive storytelling tools like Facebook 360, YouTube 360, Google Cardboard and Microsoft HoloLens to convert mission data into shared experiences for people on Earth. As both content producer and content provider, see how and why NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory shares its robotic missions, from the Curiosity rover on Mars to the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter, and beyond. Meet the producers behind the projects, see the tools for yourself, and get resources to create your own space VR/AR and 360 videos. We’ll travel through space without ever leaving Austin. Featuring:Stephanie Smith, Digital & Social Media Lead, NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryVeronica McGregor, News and Social Media Manager, NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratorySasha Samochina, Multimedia Specialist, NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryDoug Ellison, Visualization Producer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Why this session:Experience real space missions using NASA’s pioneering virtual reality and augmented reality platforms—then turn around and think about how to apply their thinking to your own organization. Plus, for everyone who dreamed about being an astronaut as a kid, this panel has extra appeal! From AMS: Being Human: How Personal Stories Change the World Description: Race. Poverty. Immigration. Too often, conversations on the most critical issues of our time stall in anxiety, ignorance, and inaction. Those who provoke us to change often do so through personal stories that disarm, surprise, and, ultimately, empower. But what makes a story “authentic”? And how do the tools of modern media — from Facebook Live to podcasts — empower change agents to move past talking points to the heart of the issue? With leading voices from the Obama Administration’s senior speech (and joke) writing team, the Ford Foundation, and The Atlantic, our panel will explore how we bear witness and give meaning to the defining issues of our time with humor, rage, grief, and honesty. Featuring:david litt, Head Writer/Producer, Funny Or Die DC (and former Obama administration speechwriter)Jean Ellen Cowgill, President, Atlantic Media StrategiesAlfred Ironside, VP, Global Communications, The Ford Foundation Why this session: If you’re committed to authentic storytelling in your own organization, then this is the panel for you! From AMS: Reduce Reuse Recycle: A Mantra for Content Editors Description: We live in a world awash with content. Many organizations, however, still create new content for every newsworthy event despite having archives filled to the brim. Leading media brands know the power of timeliness over timestamp. Such brands give new life to their archives by resurfacing stories time and again. They act as valuable curators, directing readers to the content they should read now. In fact, 50% of Atlantic traffic comes to content not created in that month — underscored by the enduring relevance of cover stories like “What ISIS Really Wants.” Jean Ellen Cowgill will discuss how any organization can dig into their own archives to resurface what matters most, when it matters most. Featuring:Jean Ellen Cowgill, President, Atlantic Media Strategies Why this session: Many organizations struggle with with how to make the most of their content—this session should help you with some ideas to get you started. From AMS: The (Lasting) Power of the Pop-up Description: Today, ephemerality is rare. Everything we read, watch, and listen to is imprinted forever across the web. What’s often missing: the sense of adventure, of specialness, and the “drop everything and check this out” urgency that only a time-bound experience can create. Enter the pop-up. This trend has made its way to restaurants, retail, media, and more, where organizations are creating experiences meant to last just a moment in time. For example: Marketplace’s “Politics Inside Out” pop-up podcast, live for two weeks during the summer’s political conventions. Atlantic Media Strategies and Marketplace will unpack this trend: what inspired it, where it’s headed, and what other brands can learn. Featuring:Lymari Morales, Managing Director, Editorial, Atlantic Media StrategiesMolly Wood, Host and Senior Tech Correspondent, Marketplace Why this session: Ephemerality isn’t just for Snapchat (and now Instagram Stories). Just because something can endure, doesn’t mean it should endure—something to think about for your own content efforts. Smart digital strategies are just one of the many things we think about for clients at Atlantic Media Strategies. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, the Digital Trends Index, and get in touch with us on Twitter.