Insidersguide

a
Insider’s Guide to
SXSW Interactive 2015:
Following the SXSW TraX
@MSLGROUPNA
@msl_group
#MSLSXSW

b
Photo by Dyxie on Flickr
SXSW Interactive’s broad
array of speakers and events
is enormous, with so many
things to see and do at the
Convention Center, hotels
and sites around the city.
Whether you’re a veteran
or a first timer to SXSW
Interactive, you need to
plan before you go to get the
most out of the experience.
Welcome to MSLGROUP’s
third edition of The Insider’s
Guide to SXSW Interactive.
Following the
TraX to SXSW

1
It’s time to get detailed about
your plans for maximizing SXSW
Interactive 2015. This year’s event
is jam-packed with more big ideas
and innovations than ever before,
and we’re here to help you take
advantage of all the possibilities.
Since it began in 1994 with 36
speakers, SXSW Interactive has
grown into the top global digital and
interactive meeting in the world,
with more than 30,000 attendees
descending on Austin each March.
The social and digital evolution can
be chronicled by pivotal discussions
at the 20 previous events, and no
doubt there will be major milestone
discussions in 2015.
Over the course of two decades,
SXSW Interactive speakers have
broadened from digital and social
inventors like Facebook’s Mark
Zuckerberg and Instagram’s Kevin
Systrom to the likes of new age car
and rocket maker Elon Musk and
social activist Edward Snowden.
As the idea of “convergence
programming” grows, SXSW
Interactive in 2015 means people
like Charles Barkley are part of the
conversation too.
The story today is about how digital
and social innovation impacts every
corner of business and industry to
shape people’s lives, governments’
actions and opportunities for new
economic growth.
SXSW Interactive’s broad array of
speakers and events is enormous,
with so many things to see and do
at the Convention Center, hotels and
sites around the city. Whether you’re
a veteran or a first-timer to SXSW
Interactive, you need to plan before
you go to get the most out of the
experience.
Stephanie Agresta
Global Practice Director, Digital
MSLGROUP
@stephagresta
Stephanie is the senior-most digital
executive at MSLGROUP and has
been recognized as one of the very
top digital creators, innovators and
strategists in public relations.
Cover photos clockwise from left: Luca Sartoni,
Nan Palmero and Paul Hudson on Flickr, Image
Think by Nam Chau.
To help you plan, SXSW Interactive
organizes content around very specific
themes.
This year, MSLGROUP decided
to leverage this content filter with
MSLGROUPTraX.
Our team of experts will be onsite to
follow six different areas of interest
and offer you real-time updates and
discussion opportunities, both on
social platforms and during live
events. We’ll even make influencer
introductions onsite and through social
channels.
We invite you to contribute to the
community and follow along by
checking our Twitter hashtags. This
will be helpful to those of you heading
to Austin as well as those who want to
track along from home. We will follow
these categories:
Food and Experiential Dining
#MSLFood
Health and Medtech
#MSLHealth
Social Media and Privacy
#MSLPrivacy
Work and Career
#MSLWork
Branding and Marketing
#MSLBranding
Content and Distribution
#MSLContent
We hope you join MSLGROUP on our
journey to SXSW Interactive 2015. To
get a daily email update, please visit
this link to choose your TraX:
msl.gp/TraXemail. See you there.

2
Mark McClennan
@mcclennan
Social Media and Privacy TraX
Mark is a social media, privacy and
fraud expert who has worked tech
PR for 19 years. He is chair-elect of
the PRSA.
Helen Shik
@helenshik
Social Media and Privacy TraX
Health and Medtech TraX
Helen is a healthcare PR, social media
and digital content expert with more
than 20 years of experience.
Meet Our TraX Team
at SXSW Interactive
02 Meeting Our TraX Team
04 Planning Your Trip
06 Surviving in Austin
09 Building Your Session
Viewing Plan
11 Taking in the Big Picture
12 Getting a Global Perspective
TraX:
14 Food and Experiential Dining
18 Health and Medtech
22 Social Media and Privacy
26 Work and Career
30 Branding and Marketing
34 Content and Distribution
38 Manage Your Career
39 Parties
40 Hungry?
Greg Eppich
@gregeppich
Food and Experiential
Dining TraX
Greg has nearly 20 years of
experience as a communicator
in the food industry.
Jenny Heinrich
@jennyheinrich
Food and Experiential
Dining TraX
Jenny has over 15 years of digital
experience in food and consumer
matters.
Aleisia Gibson-Wright
@aleisiag
Health and MedTech TraX
Aleisia formerly led global public
relations for the Medical Diagnostics
unit of GE Healthcare.
Contents

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Jeff Melton
@JeffDM
Content and Distribution TraX
Jeff is head of Global Technology
and Platforms and leads the global
integration of digital technology
with the MSLGROUP’s global
digital offerings.
Denise Vitola
@denisevitola
Brand and Marketing TraX
Denise is the North America
Consumer Practice director for
MSLGROUP. She is well known
for developing on-strategy, insight-
inspired campaigns that integrate
earned, owned, paid and shared
tactics that infuse social, digital
and mobile.
Brian Burgess
@centerorch
Work and Career TraX
Brian leads the MSLGROUP global
employee practice.
Romain Vezirian
@whoisromeo
Branding and Marketing TraX
Romain is a digital professional with
over eight years of experience and
develops digital strategies in Atlanta.
Marcy Massura
@marcymassura
Work and Career TraX
Marcy is a SXSW veteran, New York
Digital Practice Lead for MSLGROUP
and social media powerhouse.
Matt Dickman
@mattdickman
Branding and Marketing TraX
Matt is a digital marketing specialist
who has created successful
marketing programs for some of
the largest CPG and entertainment
companies in the world.
Erin Lanuti
@erinlanuti
Content and Distribution TraX
Erin is one of the most senior experts
at MSLGROUP in paid media, content
and integrated marketing. She has
over 20 years of experience.

4
10Texas-Style
Planning Tips
You won’t have any trouble figuring
out what’s on the SXSW Interactive
agenda – the event planners have
everything locked and loaded.
What you might not be sure of is
what to wear, what to bring and
how to plan your “off” time. Follow
our insider guidelines and you’ll
be ready for anything.

5
Planning
Your Trip
1. Download SXSW® GO.
The Official 2015 Mobile Guide to
South by Southwest lets you see
the lineup, create your own personal
schedule and sync your devices so
everything’s up to date. The app
is available for download to your
iPhone, iPad or Android.
2. Check the weather
forecast.
March temps in Austin are usually
pretty nice (how do 60s and 70s
sound?), but Texas weather can
change in a hurry. Plan to dress in
light layers and bring a jacket and
umbrella for those stray showers.
3. Wear comfortable shoes.
You’ll walk a lot and likely stand in
a line or two, so comfy shoes are a
must. If you want to try biking, bring
shoes you can wear using B-cycle,
Austin’s bike share system.
4. Pack your workout
clothes.
Whether you hit the hotel gym,
tackle one of Austin’s many running
trails or take a wake-up walk around
the block, exercise is a great way
to keep your energy up during long
SXSW days.
5. Stash extra chargers
and batteries.
What’s the most popular thing at a
technology conference? Technology!
Everyone will be on Wi-Fi, so be
ready for signals to come and go and
batteries to die at the most inconven-
ient moment. Bring extra batteries
and a portable charger, and stake out
the charging stations at each venue.
6. Bring your own bottled
water and snacks.
Skip the long refreshment lines at
SXSW by tucking a few waters and
packs of trail mix in your suitcase or
stopping at Royal Blue Grocery on
your way through downtown.
7. Leave a little room
in your suitcase.
Downtown’s 2nd Street District has
more than 50 local specialty shops,
services and eateries. Set aside time
to shop and take a piece of Austin
home with you.
8. Be prepared to network.
We’re not suggesting a canned
elevator speech, but having a few key
phrases in your back pocket will help
get conversations going. And don’t
forget to bring plenty of business
cards.
9. Pick your parties.
There’s at least one party every
night, and times are staggered so
you can make almost all of them if
you want. Pace yourself though –
and make sure you have the right
access badge before showing up at
the door.
10. Plan a stop at the SXSW
Job Market presented
by Publicis Groupe.
It’s free, open to everyone and a
great place to meet people, even
if you’re not looking for a job. You
never know, right? March 13-14, JW
Marriott.

6
There’s more to SXSW
Interactive than sessions
and parties. Use our insider
tips to navigate the event
like a pro and round out
your Austin experience.
Transportation
It’s easy to get around downtown
on foot or bicycle (check out B-cycle,
Austin’s bike share system), and
MetroBus and MetroRail are great
for destinations further afield. Good
news if you’re staying somewhere
other than downtown Austin: SXSW
has evolved an efficient hotel shuttle
service for registrants whose hotels
are outside the downtown walkable
area.*
Music
Austin is a music lover’s mecca, with
live bands playing somewhere every
night. Read the signposts, collect
postcards on street corners and check
out the Downtown Austin Alliance for
live music venues.
Parking
Don’t worry about parking if your
hotel is outside your walking distance
comfort zone and you go for a rental
car. There’s a garage on 2nd Street
just two blocks from the Austin
Convention Center, the hub of SXSW
Interactive. Get there early to snag
a spot.
Scheduling
SXSW works best if you plan ahead.
Yes, consider developing a personal
run of show for the event, but don’t
feel the need to schedule every
minute of your trip. Take a breath.
Leave time for spontaneity.
Satellite-ing
Who says you have to be in the
room to get value out of SXSW
keynote sessions? Avoid the crowds
and watch from a satellite location
where you can network with people
who have similar interests. In many
cases, interesting sessions are held
immediately following the keynote,
saving you time and steps.
Social media
SXSW Interactive is all about
technology, but it’s also about people.
Follow conversations on Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram, but don’t
spend the week looking at your
phone. Use this opportunity to make
authentic connections that will live
beyond Austin.
Lounging
Nothing will rejuvenate you like a
comfortable sofa, a cold drink and a
charging station in one of the SXSW
Lounges. Stop by to network or meet
up with friends and learn about new
business opportunities. In particular,
we recommend the PayPal Social
Media Lounge hosted by TechSet, in
Room 19AB of the Convention Center.
You’ll be able to get your caffeine fix
at our coffee bar, pick up essentials
at the PayPal store, and recharge
yourself and your devices at one of
our many work stations.
*Please note that registrants must
purchase a pass.
Surviving
in Austin

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9
The best tool for planning and
organizing your sessions is the
SXSW GOTM
app, available for
download to your iPad, iPhone or
Android devices. Browse all the
events and speakers and create your
personal schedule, then log in to
sync it with your other devices. Want
to see what sessions your friends
and connections are going to? It’s all
right there.
SXSW Interactive is full of can’t-
miss sessions, panels and keynotes.
To stay on track, keep them all
straight and catch the ones you
really want, make lists of your A, B
and C choices. That way, if your first
choice is full, you can always skip
to your B list or even your Cs. Make
notes on times and places to be sure
you’re in the right place at the right
time. Allow time for travel.
Building
your Session
Viewing Plan

11
SXSW Interactive has a long
tradition of lining up the world’s
most innovative and inspiring
speakers. Keynote events run from
2-3 p.m. each day in Exhibit Hall 5
of the Austin Convention Center.
These presentations take the form
of either a solo talk, an interview,
or a conversation between two
individuals. This year, you will have
the opportunity to see:
Paola Antonelli
Senior Curator, Metropolitan
Museum of Art
Friday
Princess Reema Bint
Bandar Al-Saud
CEO, Alfa International
Saturday
Martine Rothblatt
Chairman CEO, United
Therapeutics
Sunday
Logan Green
Co-founder CEO, Lyft
Monday
Astro Teller
Captain of Moonshots, Google[x]
Tuesday
Taking in
the Big Picture
They are must-attend events for
anyone with a show badge, but you
don’t need to be in the hall to view
them. SXSW simulcasts keynotes
across its venues, enabling you to
avoid the crowds and watch from a
satellite location and network with
people who have similar interests.
We also highly encourage attendees
to check out the Featured Sessions
to hear from influential celebrities
and the top names behind some
of the industry’s most innovative
trends and important conversations.
This year’s line-up of SXSW
speakers includes Charles Barkley,
Bonin Bough, Russell Brand, Pete
Cashmore, Malcolm Gladwell, Jesse
Jackson, Guy Kawasaki, Josh Klein,
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eric Schmidt,
Brian Solis, Biz Stone, Eric Topol,
Gary Vaynerchuk, Jack Welch
and more.
SXSW Interactive is not just 60
minute sessions – there are a
variety of fascinating things to
do outside the convention center.
SXSW Interactive Workshops offer
in-depth, multi-hour education on
a variety of subjects, all located on
the third floor of the JW Marriott. A
multitude of Convergence Meet Ups
are scheduled each day to connect
attendees with similar interest
across disparate industries. There’s
also the Gaming Expo, Startup
Village, SXgood (the official social
good platform at SXSW), comedy
and more – a quick internet search
including “SXSW” can reveal all
kinds of events and opportunities
to enjoy!
Photos opposite page: clockwise from the left by
Paul Papadimitriou, Nan Palmero, Kris Krüg, and
Andrew Feinberg on Flickr.

12
Getting a Global
Perspective
By Stephanie Agresta,
Global Practice
Director, Digital,
MSLGROUP
#MSLGlobal
The City of Austin’s official motto is
“Live Music Capital of the World.”
It’s time everyone also recognizes
the importance that Austin and
SXSW play on the global digital
landscape. SXSW is now the largest
and most important gathering of
global digital marketers annually.
SXSW Interactive has always been
about what’s emerging from Silicon
Valley and New York City. But
now, technology trends in Brazil,
China, India, Korea and Australia
are making big waves. Every year
the percentage of attendees and
sponsors from outside the United
States has grown. Last year the
32,798 attendees of Interactive came
from 82 countries. For global digital
marketers, the show is must-attend.
MSLGROUP brings colleagues
from around the globe to immerse
themselves in the global digital
ecosystem of SXSW in ways that
help drive innovation for our clients
worldwide.
Global content is integrated into
every SXSW theme. But there are a
myriad of ways to navigate the show
for those interested in finding like-
minded global attendees. Here are a
few of the top items to be aware of:
Global Connections:
SX Global Connections seeks
to reduce the challenge of
connecting by bringing relevant
content, networking, and business
opportunities to the international
SXSW community. Don’t miss the
kick-off event!
Trade Show – 2015 Exhibitors
The Trade Show has now grown
to one of the most popular aspects
of SXSW. Still manageable in
size, attendees can make valuable
connections with exhibitors. Many
of the global sponsors are
represented here.
Latin America
SXSW recently announced
the creation of SXAméricas.
SXAméricas promotes networking,
ideas and new partnerships from
Latino film, music and technology
leaders. Two panels of note include:
Neymar: From Brazil Soccer Star to
YouTube Creator
Latin America: Silicon Valley’s New
Frontier
Asia
At MSLGROUP, we are proud of
our deep expertise in navigating
the global digital landscape in Asia.
These panels on Asia specific topics
will prove to be some of the most
popular:
One World, Two Internets: China’s
Tech Innovation
Winning Over China’s Wired Women
The Birth of Korean Cool

13
Spotlight Asia
Mobile Lifestyle Comes of Age
Sunday, March 15
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
W Hotel, 200 Lavaca St
Great Room C
#MSLGlobal
Join MSLGROUP, Mondelēz, Line
and other global tech marketers to
discuss the emergence of the mobile
consumer in Asia and the global
trends it is sparking.
Asia is now leading the way
for mobile messaging and
communications innovation.
The region entered a new period
of growth at the same time as
mobile-Internet access became
widely available, resulting in the
region leapfrogging the PC-Internet
era. In an environment with mobile
at the core, rich development and
invention is happening in exciting
ways. Despite having being around
for a fraction of the time, messaging
services like Line, WeChat and
Kakao Talk have sizable user bases
rivaling Facebook. But these Asian
apps are more than just messaging,
they are lifestyle platforms,
branching out to include mobile
payments, shopping, taxi services,
banking, and more. As a result,
social networking platforms have
been transformed into indispensable
digital extensions of a user’s life.
The Mobile Lifestyle era is upon us.
The leaders of the major western
digital platforms are now traveling
to the East to understand this
innovation and the invention that’s
still around the corner in North
America and Europe. Together
we will explore what happens
when a mobile messaging app
becomes the digital life engine for
millions of people. What does this
transformation means for people’s
lives, businesses and society? What
does this mean for global brand
marketers?
This event is invite only. If you
are interested in attending,
please reach out to us at
CorporateCommunicationsNA
@mslgroup.com.
Patricia Albuquerque
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Partner Content Director,
MSLGROUP Espalhe
@patialbuc
Jon Chin
Singapore
Director of Digital Social,
Southeast Asia
@jonwchin
Alice Hu
Shanghai, China
Manager, Social Digital, Asia
@alicehu
Marcelo Minutti
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Director
@mminutti
Nicolas Moreau
Paris, France
Digital Strategies Consultant,
Publicis Consultants
@nico_dude
Narendra Nag
Delhi, India
Asia Practice Leader,
Digital Social Media
@narendranag
Adrian Rosenthal
Berlin, Germany
Head of Digital Social Media,
Germany
@neurosenthal
Josh Shapiro
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Director of Market Development
Client Engagement
@joshds
Juliana Junqueira Vieira
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Digital Director, MSLGROUP
Andreoli
Meet MSLGROUP
experts from
around the globe
who are attending
SXSW this year

14
By Greg Eppich, SVP,
MSLGROUP,
and Jenny Heinrich,
VP, Social Media
Digital Content,
MSLGROUP
#MSLFood
Last year’s SXSW left us feeling a
little hungry. Not literally hungry,
of course. There’s a lot of great food
in Austin and we’ll certainly take
advantage of that again this year.
Breakfast tacos or kolaches, anyone?
The truth is, we’re hungry for
more SXSW sessions that focus
on food. This year’s lineup, led
by a wide range of respected food
industry thought leaders, looks
quite satisfying. They’ll address
the world’s food supply, responsible
sourcing and sustainable production
methods, plus predict food trends
and shifts in food marketing and retail.
In addition to this year’s hearty
sessions (see below for our top
picks), we’re looking forward to these
SouthBites highlights:
– SouthBites Lounge at the
Driskill Hotel, which will serve as
the home base for food industry
professionals, fans and press.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed
for lots of free food, too. Can you
blame us?
– The third annual SouthBites
Trailer Park will celebrate
Austin’s iconic food trailer culture.
This year’s Trailer Park will offer
a wide range of foods from Asian
street cuisine and Turkish style
wraps to gourmet grilled cheese
sandwiches and Korean Mexican
fusion, just to name a few. The
SouthBites Trailer Park will be
open every day from Friday, March
13, through Saturday, March 21,
11 a.m. to midnight.
– Craft-Cocktail Happy Hour
Presented by KitchenAid at the
Driskill Hotel on Saturday, March
14, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. This
happy hour will wrap the first day
of SouthBites programming and
offer an open bar, appetizers and a
guest mixologist to create a variety
of craft cocktails using KitchenAid
tools. They had us at cocktail.
– SouthBites Food Truck
Showcase Party on Monday,
March 16, from 9:30 p.m.
to midnight. Located at the
SouthBites Trailer Park, this late
night celebration will highlight
the delicious eats crafted by
chefs of the 14 participating
food trailers and mark the close
of SouthBites programming for
2015.
We invite you to join us, using the
hashtag #MSLFood, as we share
key findings and insights from these
and other SouthBites sessions and
events at SXSW Interactive 2015.
The Food and
Experiential
Dining TraX

15
Session picks
from our experts
Made in Brooklyn:
A Craft Foods
Revolution
Saturday, March 14,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Driskill Hotel, Driskill Ballroom
#sxsw #SouthBites
Craft foods and beverages have been
gaining mass appeal, as consumers
want more authenticity, sustainable
practices and seasonality. With their
popularity gaining momentum, the
effects on the larger food ecosystem
have yet to be fully understood. This
session will highlight success stories
of purveyors who have scaled their
business from micro to macro.
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/
events/event_IAP38255
The Unexpected
Power of Shared Meals
Saturday, March 14,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian
#sxsw #SouthBites
Participating in a shared meal leads
to expanding one’s interactions with
new people, cultures, foods and
thoughts. This session will highlight
the success for meal sharing and
how it can make an impact that
reaches further than the dinner table.
The Future Role
of Tech in Dining
and Food
Saturday, March 14,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
Austin Convention Center,
Ballroom D
#sxsw #momotech
David Chang of Momofuku fame
will discuss how technology is
continually changing and shaping
the way people interact with food,
and how restaurants, chefs and at-
home diners consume meals both
literally and digitally.
Mega Bites: Mining
Food Data for Insights
Saturday, March 14,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
#sxsw #SouthBites
A wealth of data is being collected
every day through food apps,
restaurant check-ins and recipe
searches. However, the landscape
of food as big data is still taking
shape, and how it will affect meal
innovation is yet to be known.
This session will seek to explain
the future intersection of food and
technology.
Join us as a panel of entrepreneurs
from some of the leading companies
in food data and food technology
discuss the possibilities for big
food data. We are on the verge of
something that can transform the
entire food system, and the leaders
in this movement will share their
thoughts, ideas and learnings.
Our panelists will unveil innovative
insights they have gleaned from
their experiences and share specific
use cases. Learn what lies in the
future of mining food data and the
advantages and obstacles at the
convergence of food and technology.
Saturday 14 March

16
Grocery Wars: The
Future of Buying Food
Sunday, March 15,
9:30AM - 10:30AM
#sxsw #SouthBites
Technology and customization take
center stage as consumers demand
a more personalized and streamlined
experience when shopping in-store.
At the center of this revolution is
the continued need for purveyors
to stay up to date on a seamless
buying experience, smart in-store
advertising and packaging that
provides buyers with information
they demand such as ingredients,
history and how it can best be used
to its fullest potential.
Building a Better
Breakfast
Sunday, March 15,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
#sxsw #SouthBites
Breakfast has long been seen as the
most important meal of the day. But
with an ever-growing population,
innovations need to be made in the
global food system to account for
higher demand. Josh Tetrick, Damir
Kaul and Andrew Zimmerman will
provide their unique outlooks on how
this can be done.
We’ll take a look from the view of
the entrepreneur (Josh Tetrick),
the investor (Samir Kaul) and the
culinarian (Andrew Zimmern),
and the three will be moderated by
sustainable food writer, Jane Black
(NYT, Washington Post, Slate).
Changing the World
through Food:
A Love Story
Sunday, March 15,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
#sxsw #SouthBites
Renowned chef and restauranteur
Michael Chiarello and philanthropist
Eileen Chiarello bring their love for
each other, food and sustainability
on a mission to change the world.
They will discuss how they have
cultivated success through food,
each other and by making a
difference in communities across
the nation.
Join the Chiarellos for a candid
conversation about how love shaped
their commitment to flavor, farming
and a sustainable food future—and
the blood, sweat and tears it took to
get where they are today.
Sunday 15 March
Session picks
from our experts

17
72 Ways Food Can
Change the World
Monday, March 16,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
#sxsw #SouthBites
Food and nonprofit successes
converge in the story of Hot Bread
Kitchen and how poverty and
nutrition can be tackled by one
everyday food. Eater Editor-in-Chief
Amanda Kludt spoke with Jessamyn
Rodriguez about her success in
providing careers to immigrant men
and women by turning their bread-
making abilities into businesses.
Food Criticism
in the Digital Age
Monday, March 16,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
#sxsw #SouthBites
Citizen journalism through
Instagram, Yelp and Twitter have
made restaurant reviews accessible
to any diner. In this new digital age,
food critics discuss the impact of
instantaneous feedback and how it
continues to shape the future of food
critique and criticism.
Monday 16 March

18
By Aleisia Gibson-
Wright, SVP, Health
MSLGROUP
#MSLHealth
Under normal circumstances,
thinking about attending a
conference for work could lead to
a serious, deep, guttural yawn,
right? Yes, but this is no ordinary
conference, it’s SXSW, one of the top
industry trend events in the world.
There will be no yawning for me.
Airline ticket in my purse, bottled
water in hand, bag of pretzels in my
coat pocket and a vision of complete
immersion in the beautiful world of
BIG DATA in health – again one of
this year’s trending topics – has me
alive with excitement.
What am I most looking forward to?
Big data. It’s frightening, scintillating
and perplexing, particularly in the
health space, as technology is still
burgeoning. It has applications
that range from provider-specific
business intelligence to scouring
an entire state’s health records to
pinpoint people at risk for certain
ailments. Many believe big data can
help target early warning signs and
improve patient safety.
How big data is used in preventative
medicine is key to why I’m so
interested in the topic. It’s like the
ability to analyze other people
like myself – similar family health
history, ethnicity, test results and
all that medical stuff – to determine
what could happen to my health
in the future is just…oh, riveting.
Follow me to find out what I really
thought about the session.
During my time at SXSW, I’ll stop
and take a moment to appreciate
the awesomeness of this industry
and the breadth of topics we get to
understand and influence. And while
I’m in Austin, I will definitely make
time to appreciate the Tex-Mex
and BBQ.
If you’d like to meet up with me for a
dip of guac and refried beans, a rack
of something savory or to just to talk
about the conference, tweet me
@aleisiag #MSLHealth.
The Health and
Medtech TraX

19
Patient Power: A Data
and Mobile Health
Revolution
Saturday, March 14,
9:30AM - 10:30AM
JW Marriott, Room 203-204
#sxsw #PatientPWR
It has been estimated that as much
as 90% of all data in the world has
been generated in the past two years.
While “big data” has dramatically
changed the way we live our lives
from shopping to social interactions,
the big data revolution is just
beginning to touch the most sacred
aspect of our lives: our health. This
panel will discuss the current state
and future of the big data revolution
in health and personal wellness, as
well as the challenges to building a
data-driven health system.
Session picks
from our experts
Digital Health and
Consumerization
of Healthcare
Saturday, March 14,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
#sxsw #DigiHealth
The explosion in technology over
the past decade has transformed
the world we live in, and nearly
all successful businesses today
leverage new technologies to their
advantage. Yet due to its regulatory
and competitive complexity, the
healthcare industry has been a
notorious laggard in incorporating
the benefits of the digital revolution.
Recent years, however, have seen
numerous innovations on the digital
health front and, finally, the move
towards a consumerized healthcare
system that gives patients more
control over their care. Re/code
Senior Editor James Temple will
moderate a panel to discuss these
issues with Beth Seidenberg, partner
at Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers,
and former chief medical officer of
Amgen, Mike Lee, founder and CEO
of MyFitnessPal, and Ray Bradford,
founder and CEO of Spruce Health.
Why HIPAA Won’t
Save You: Protecting
Data Privacy
Saturday, March 14,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
#sxsw #SXSWHIPAA
Every day, people are collecting,
sharing and leveraging health
information – sometimes without
even realizing it. From fitness
tracking tools to info shared
through social to online search and
purchases made online, a wealth
of health-related data is being
generated about each of us that, if
used wisely, could improve health
outcomes. But while much has been
said about the opportunities, few
people give much thought to the
digital footprint they leave behind
– a footprint that includes data and
information not necessarily protected
under existing regulatory guidance
(HIPAA). By bringing together key
stakeholders who can talk to the
needs of patients, manufacturers
and entrepreneurs, we aim to tackle
both the promise and the risks of
maximizing the wealth of health
information generated online.
Saturday 14 March

20
Session picks
from our experts
Finding a Breast
Cancer Cure: What
Needs to Change
Sunday, March 15,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
#sxsw #BCCure
Breast cancer is the second largest
cause of cancer death among
women in the U.S., invading the
lives of millions of women and their
caregivers. How can the breast
cancer community – from consumers
and physicians to researchers, health
plans and tech companies – create
change? What do we need to do to
help find a cure? In this session,
breast cancer survivor, advocate
and blogger Ann Silberman, along
with digital health media expert
David Kopp, will lead an interactive
discussion exploring what needs to
change in breast cancer care and
treatment today, the emerging role
digital innovation will play in helping
find a cure and how we can all help.
Is Big Data the Next
Wonder Drug?
Sunday, March 15,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
#sxsw #HealthData
In a world where we track our
sleep, steps, sex, vitals, DNA and
almost everything imaginable – is
data the panacea we hope it’ll be
for our health? Or is it another fad,
a placebo, a sugar pill that makes
us feel psychologically, but not
measurably, better? Now that we’ve
begun collecting data on ourselves,
how do we use it to improve our
future health? And what happens
when data is extended from the
individual to the collective body?
What are the societal implications?
Find out what comes after the
quantified self in a panel with Walter
de Brouwer, founder and CEO of
Scanadu, a NASA Ames Research
Center-based company aimed at
making this the last generation
to know so little about our health;
and Eric Topol, M.D., director of
the Scripps Translational Science
Institute, who is using digital and
genomic technologies to reboot the
future of medicine.
Sunday 15 March

21
Bionic Pancreas:
Getting Closer
Monday, March 16,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
#sxsw #BioHealth
Insulin-dependent diabetics live
daily with a pancreas that is not
functioning properly. A healthy
pancreas secretes both insulin
to counter high blood sugar and
glucagon to counter low blood
sugar. The standard of care to date
has been the injection of insulin
to manage high blood sugar and
the ingestion of carbohydrates to
manage low blood sugar. This is
akin to managing the temperature
in your house with a space heater to
add heat and opening the windows
to cool things off. It works, but
not very well. This session will
discuss the industry and academic
partnerships underway to create a
bionic pancreas that combines novel
medical devices and formulations
of insulin and glucagon to mimic the
function of the pancreas outside
the body.
Crossing Over:
The New Guard
of Healthcare
Monday, March 16,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
#sxsw #hcnewguard
This panel will provide a robust
discussion around the experience/
journey of entrepreneurs from non-
healthcare backgrounds into the
highly regulated healthcare industry.
We will focus on why they made
the leap and explore the benefits
and challenges of crossing over
to healthcare, while establishing
best practices and setting targeted
expectations for first-time founders
in the digital health space.
Turning Big
Healthcare into Hubs
of Innovation
Tuesday, March 17,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
#sxsw #bigHCideas
Patients and providers face
challenges at our healthcare
institutions on a daily basis. These
organizations are ripe with real
problems, real providers and real
patients. This makes them the
perfect test environment and partner
for entrepreneurs with new ideas and
novel approaches to achieve impact.
By creating meaningful connections
between entrepreneurs, providers
and patients, innovation can happen,
the spread of new ideas can be
accelerated and we can begin to fix
our broken system.
Monday 16 March Tuesday 17 March

22
The Social
Media
and Privacy
TraX
By Mark McClennan,
SVP, MSLGROUP
#MSLPrivacy
For those interested in social and
privacy, SXSW takes a much
different approach than the typical
security or fraud conference. SXSW
organizers have put together a series
of more than 100 sessions of interest
to communicators and marketing
professionals in those markets and
anyone looking at using big data to
optimize communications or prepare
for potential data security issues.
These are key issues that many
communications professionals
struggle or live with daily. Some
sessions get in the weeds, others
look at macro trends and their
impact on society.
4. Going to the sessions
isn’t enough.
The sessions are great, but the
conversations before and after
are where I typically get the
most value. Plan to stay after the
sessions you care most about and
don’t use your pre-session time to
catch up on email. You just might
miss the best connections and
insights.
5. The social
backchannel is strong.
In previous years, I noticed the
social backchannel discussions
around the security and privacy
sessions were very strong.
Follow the hashtags for great
opportunities to connect with
people you want to meet while
keeping up on all the social and
privacy sessions.
To maximize your SXSW social
and privacy sessions, keep these
points in mind:
1. JW Marriott
is your friend.
Almost all Social and Privacy
sessions will be held at the JW
Marriott Austin on 2nd Street.
This new hotel that opened in
February is about three blocks
east of the Convention Center.
2. Size up the rooms.
We looked at the floorplan and the
rooms are not created equal. Salon
7 has room for 610 attendees, so
sessions there should be relatively
easy to get into. Salon 8 only has
room for 210, so plan to get there
early to avoid being shut out.
3. Tune in to simulcast.
SXSW simulcasts keynotes across
its venues. So if you want to catch
an afternoon session, avoid the
crowds at the Convention Center
and watch from the JW Marriott.

23
Session picks
from our experts
Rethinking Privacy in
the Internet of Things
Friday, March 13,
4:00PM - 4:15PM
Ballroom C
#sxsw #unboundid
One of the hottest trends that will
hit organizations in 2015 is the
rise of the Internet of Things. With
the mass boom in online profiles,
companies will very soon be
dealing with millions to billions of
ID challenges and creating a need
for consumer identity management
(CIM). Traditional enterprise identity
management software struggles
to deal with more than 100,000
separate IDs. (Think about it…how
many companies have more than
100,000 employees, so why should
their ID management solutions
operate at web scale?) When you
add new technology like the Internet
of Things and the huge amount of
device profiles and attributes created
per sensor (like Hue lights or Nest
thermostats), the number of data
points and identities can reach the
billions pretty quickly.
Security of Things:
Who Will Save Us?
Friday, March 13,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
JW Marriott, Salon 4
#sxsw #SXSWSaveUs
Two years ago, the “Internet of
Things” was just beginning its rise
as one of the most buzzed-about
topics of the technology world.
Now, smart homes are a reality, our
phones and wearable computers are
the command line of our lives, and
a slew of new, connected gadgets
hit the marketplace every year (even
toilets aren’t off limits). A parallel
shift is happening in the security
world, as threats and attackers
become more sophisticated,
cyberespionage becomes a real-
world concern, and a new data
breach makes headlines practically
each day.
Future Crimes
from the Digital
Underworld
Saturday, March 14,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
#sxsw #updatenow
Criminals are often the earliest –
and most innovative – adopters of
technology. They’re already stealing
identities, draining online bank
accounts and wiping out computer
servers in the blink of an eye, but
that’s child’s play compared to what’s
coming next.
From one of the world’s leading
authorities on global security,
Future Crimes takes readers deep
into the digital underground to
illuminate the alarming ways
criminals, corporations and even
countries are using new and
emerging technologies against
you, and how this makes everyone
more vulnerable than ever thought
possible.
Friday 13 March Saturday 14 March

24
Session picks
from our experts
What Keeps the
Internet’s Leading
CPOs Up At Night
Saturday, March 14,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
#sxsw #privacypro
As data hoarding continues to
become an integral part of society,
companies are looking to chief
privacy officers to help manage data
protection and privacy concerns.
Demand for data security and
privacy professionals has grown
exponentially and organizations
are recognizing the need to better
manage privacy and examine
how they handle data within their
organization. This panel will include
CPOs from some of today’s top
companies debating the current
challenges and opportunities in the
privacy landscape and what they see
on the horizon. From online tracking
and mobile technologies to dealing
with surveillance issues, hear from
these leaders on where the most
challenging privacy issues of the day
are going.
Cyber-Insecurity:
You’re not as Safe
as You Think
Sunday, March 15,
11:00AM - 1:30PM
JW Marriott, Room 307
Pre-registration required
#sxsw #HackerU
Facebook knows everything about
you, but what does that mean?
Edward Snowden exposed that
the NSA was tracking ordinary
citizens; why should you care? In
this workshop, you’ll learn why
you and your company should
be concerned about your online
security, and where you are
vulnerable to having your data
exposed. Hint: it’s everywhere
from your computer to your phone,
even to your baby monitors. Led
by Amadeus Stevenson, CTO
of Decoded, the global company
giving professionals a high-level
understanding of code, cybersecurity
and more, attendees are going to
hack themselves - yes, themselves.
Armed with a greater knowledge
to keep both their personal and
professional information safe from
prying eyes, they will gain a deeper
understanding of the holes in the
fabric of our modern world.
Fingerprints Are
Usernames, Not
Passwords
Sunday, March 15,
9:30AM - 10:30AM
JW Marriott, Room 404
#sxsw #biometrics
As biometric sensors find their
way into your consumer devices,
you will be tempted by your device
manufacturers and app providers to
use them for authentication. While I
won’t tell you, “Don’t do it,” we will
discuss the consequences of using
biometrics for authentication, rather
than identification. There are plenty
of inventions that turned out to be
bad ideas, or are simply misused.
Without a course correction in the
consumer world, biometrics are
rapidly headed in that direction.
Sunday 15 March

25
Data (in)Security:
MIT Scientists
Tackle Privacy
Sunday, March 15,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
#sxsw #CSAILPrivacy
In recent years, no technology issue
has drawn as much debate as data
privacy, from revelations about
government surveillance to major
corporate data breaches. The topic
has spurred tough questions about
the balance between access and
privacy and how to use data to help
solve problems without sacrificing
anonymity.
If anyone can tackle these issues, it’s
the team at MIT’s Computer Science
and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
(CSAIL). Since the lab’s founding
50 years ago, its researchers have
been at the hub of the technology
revolution and key players in
developing innovations like the
personal computer, Ethernet and the
World Wide Web.
A panel of CSAIL’s leading thinkers,
including cryptography expert
Shafi Goldwasser, RSA algorithm
co-inventor Ron Rivest and former
White House adviser Danny
Weitzner, will discuss their work
on the subject and the biggest
challenges for today’s data scientists
and privacy advocates.
Data Discrimination:
Exploring Big Data
and Bias
Sunday, March 15,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
#sxsw #DataBias
Data analytics give businesses
and government powerful new
tools. Analyzing data troves allows
companies to spot inefficiencies
in supply chains. Police can
track where crime is spreading.
Retailers can tinker with pricing
based on user data. But do these
advancements have potential pitfalls,
too? Could retailers discriminate
against customers based on their
age, race and income by creating
specific profiles of people through
data? Will people end up deprived
of opportunities if search engines
automatically show them different
results based on what an algorithm
knows about them? Will algorithms
be used to change pricing for people
in rich neighborhoods versus poor
neighborhoods?
Those are all questions that
Washington regulators are
pondering now. This panel will
address the ethical and legal
questions about Big Data analysis
and discuss ways to avoid an age
of digital inequity as more data is
collected, stored and analyzed about
us than ever before.
Sunday 15 March
Follow the Money:
Cyber Crime and the
Black Market
Tuesday, March 17,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
#sxsw #SXstolen
What exactly happens when a
cyber-criminal steals your credit card
number? Believe it or not, in a matter
of a couple hours your personal
information could have taken a trip
to multiple countries before being
sold on the black market. When it
comes to cyber-crime, the Internet
is a global ecosystem and hackers
know no borders. Come take a
behind-the-scenes look as we follow
a stolen credential’s international
journey through the black market.
See for yourself how cyber-crime
isn’t a single issue impacting one
country, but rather a global issue
impacting consumers, corporations
and governments around the world.
In what country will our stolen
credential end up? Join us to
find out.
Tuesday 17 March

26
The Work
and Career
TraX
By Brian Burgess,
Global Co-Director,
MSLGROUP Employee
Practice
#MSLWork
After 20 years of attending many
conferences about marketing and
communications, last year I dipped
my toe into SXSW. While it was a
bit overwhelming in scale, it was
endlessly informative and exciting.
Last years’ experience changed my
perception that SXSW is for the
extremely techy, webby, Twittery
people focused on changing the
world with digital and social media.
In reality, it’s a bunch of diverse
human beings with insatiable
curiosities, experiences and points
of view. It’s a Petri dish for diversity
and inclusion. It’s not so much about
digital and social itself as it is about
how humans adapt behavior in the
digital age.
MSLGROUP’s global Employee
Practice, works with organizations
around the world that grapple with
the same issues – how to get their
employees’ heads, hearts and hands
in the game – around business
strategy, brand delivery and
navigating change. Every single day.
We’re most excited to hear the panels
that focus on change because the
pace of change.
Our tip: find speakers with diverse
backgrounds – business owners,
leaders inside larger companies,
authors and academics, futurists
and behavioral scientists.

27
Session picks
from our experts
How to Build a
Following around
Your Idea
Friday, March 13,
12:30PM - 12:50PM
Ballroom G
#sxsw #StandOut
Too many people believe if they
keep their heads down and work
hard, their ideas will be recognized
on their merits, but that’s simply not
true anymore. To make a name for
yourself and gain traction for your
best ideas, you have to capitalize
on your unique perspective and
knowledge and inspire others to
listen and take action. Former
presidential campaign spokeswoman
Dorie Clark, a regular contributor
to Forbes, HBR, and Entrepreneur,
explains how to identify the ideas
that set you apart and how to
promote them successfully.
Fear, Shame, Empathy
More Ways to
Change Behavior
Friday, March 13,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
Exhibit Hall 5
#sxsw #danpink
In this entertaining and provocative
session, Daniel Pink — best-selling
author of “Drive” and “To Sell is
Human,” and host and co-executive
producer of NatGeoTV’s “Crowd
Control” — will look at the science
and practice of behavior change.
He’ll show how subtle changes in
environment can dramatically affect
what people do. And he’ll explore
the power (and limits) of techniques
from fear to gamification to empathy
to distraction. You’ll leave with some
smart tips on changing the behavior
of those in your workplace, school
or home.
Driving Results
through Culture
Saturday, March 14,
12:30PM - 12:50PM
Ballroom G
#sxsw #CultureEng
For 25 years, S. Chris Edmonds
has helped leaders create safe,
inspiring work environments where
employees thrive. He will share
insights from his new book, The
Culture Engine, and outline how to
change your team’s culture through
an organizational constitution.
Leaders of organizations typically
invest greater time and energy
managing products and services
than they do managing their culture,
yet culture drives everything that
happens in their organizations,
good or bad. An organizational
constitution specifies the team’s
purpose, values and behaviors,
strategies and goals. Managing to
these vital elements helps create
a workplace of cooperation and
respect, not one of competition
and frustration.

28
Session picks
from our experts
Evolving Employee
Advocacy with Scale
and Impact
Saturday, March 14,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
Hyatt Regency Austin,
Zilker Ballroom 3
#sxsw #EmplAdvcy
Employee advocacy marketing
is here to stay. The idea that a
company’s employees, customers
and most loyal fans can generate
measurable, impactful results is
one digital marketers have adopted
across the globe.
Adam Keats, vice president, Strategic
Partnerships, at Dynamic Signal,
and Marcy Massura, SVP, NYC
Digital Practice Lead at MSLGROUP,
will dissect the natural progression
the industry has recently taken
and explore how companies - both
big AND small - are implementing
solutions that allow them to drive
measurable business results from
these marketing efforts.
Presented by Dynamic Signal.
No One Understands
You, and What to Do
About It
Sunday, March 15,
9:30AM - 10:30AM
JW Marriott,
Room 408-409
#sxsw #HowTheyCU
We think we know how we
come across to other people - but
surprisingly often, we’re wrong.
Decades of research shows there are
very weak correlations between how
others see us and how we believe we
are seen.
On the bright side, other people’s
biases are predictable, not random.
We can anticipate how we will be
seen, once we understand how
perception really works. People
can never see you “as you are” –
our brains are just not wired for
objectivity. But after this session,
you will finally be able to see what
others see - and many of your
past difficulties, frustrations and
misunderstandings will begin to
make sense.
Company Culture Is
the Only Competitive
Advantage
Sunday, March 15,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
JW Marriott,
Room 407
#sxsw #CultHeart
You know culture eats strategy for
breakfast, but did you know it’s your
start-up’s most powerful weapon?
Join Culture LabX co-founders Josh
Levine and Lindsay Wolff Logsdon
for an in-depth discussion about
company culture, why it’s critical to
companies who need to scale, why
it’s so damn hard to define and what
makes it the most underutilized
competitive advantage in business
history. Get a seat in the room or
take a back seat in the market.
Sunday 15 March

29
Rise of the Employee:
Leveling the Power
Balance
Sunday, March 15,
3:45PM - 4:00PM
Ballroom C
#sxsw #eepower
Fifty years ago, most people worked
for the same companies their entire
lives. They had no idea what they
could or should earn, and many likely
felt scared to ask questions.
Now that the majority of people have
multiple jobs throughout their careers,
employers pay more attention to
employee engagement, satisfaction
and personal development to retain
talent.
In this session, ZenPayroll CEO
and co-founder Joshua Reeves will
explore why we’ve entered the age of
the employee, and how the imbalance
of power in the workplace has shifted.
Learning to Work
in the Future
Sunday, March 15,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
JW Marriott,
Salon 5-6
#sxsw #futurism
Based on his experience as IDEO’s
planetary futurist-in-residence, Alex
Steffen (co-founder of Worldchanging
and author of Carbon Zero) shares
his strategies for how to stay fluent
in the use of new ideas and skills
when the pace of change keeps
increasing.
If your success and creativity are
based in part on your ability to stay
current and grow new skills, this is a
talk you need to hear.
Sunday 15 March
Cultures of Advocacy:
People, Product and
Change
Monday, March 16,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
#sxsw #advocate
It’s one thing to face the hard
challenges of finding better ways
to work and create. It’s another
thing to turn a goal of evolving into
actions and ideas that colleagues,
customers and clients can rally
around. This panel will propose
creating “cultures of advocacy,”
explore what innovation even means
for an organization — and whether
it should even be a priority — and
propose strategies for pushing past
the barriers of territoriality and
trepidation.
Monday 16 March

30
By Denise Vitola, NA
Consumer Practice
Director, MSLGROUP
and Matt Dickman,
SVP, Global Digital
Social Strategy
Director, MSLGROUP
#MSLBranding
“The pace of change will never be
slower than it is today.”
That single statement is the
perfect backdrop for the 2015
SXSW Interactive Festival and its
intersection with brand marketing.
Each year, the world’s best marketers
and biggest brands come together
with technologists, artists and
musicians in Austin, Texas with the
goal of changing the world.
Facebook has, in a matter of five
years gone from dorm rooms to
board rooms. Social networking
innovations in China are both
connecting Chinese people to the
rest of the world and putting U.S.-
based networks on notice. Mobility
is both empowering the masses with
access to information and forcing
companies to think about marketing
in new, untethered ways.
Commerce is becoming more
mobile-centric form tap-to-pay to
mobile e-commerce. The power to
buy is in the palm of our hands and
that revolution is not being led from
the U.S., but China.
PR has been at the forefront of the
change that is enveloping brands
and the marketing function. Our
roots in an earned approach to
marketing and understanding that
consumer engagement is crucial
now and in the future, PR has a
critical seat at the table in defining
the future.
As owned, paid and earned media
intertwine, and each becomes
underpinned with social elements,
the next five to ten years will be
even more dynamic. Much of that
future will be built upon technology
platforms from the way we engage,
the places we buy and the manner
in which we create insights from
immense stockpiles of data,
technology is the core.
SXSW is the place to be in order to
see and experience this change first
hand. The brand marketing track
looks at the present with a firm eye
on the future and nobody is looking
back.
The Branding and
Marketing TraX

31
Session picks
from our experts
Digital Diversity:
How Culture Impacts
Digital
Friday, March 13,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Hyatt Regency Austin
Zilker Ballroom 2
208 Barton Springs Rd
#sxsw #FBDiverse
In the U.S. alone, there is a new
majority of people in seven of the
nation’s 15 largest cities. The change
in these cultural dynamics provides
new opportunities for businesses.
To understand the role culture plays
in the lives of three major groups:
U.S. Hispanics, Asian Americans
and African Americans, Facebook
and Ipsos Media CT have partnered
together. In this presentation, our
teams will illustrate how culture
influences attitudes, behaviors and
priorities and how that influences the
way people communicate online. We
will also describe the expectations
of multicultural consumers, plus
explore how brands can engage with
people in culturally relevant ways.
Do You Know the
ROI of WOM? Do You
Want To?
Friday, March 13,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Zilker Ballroom 2
#sxsw #ROIofWOM
Many marketers recognize that word
of mouth (WOM)/earned media,
online and off, is the most effective
form of advertising, but precisely how
effective is it? Up to now, there’s been
no industry-wide, definitive study to
answer that question, but the Word
of Mouth Marketing Association
(WOMMA) has changed all of that
with its new “Return on WOM” study.
We now know the ROI of WOM
marketing and, more importantly,
how it can be maximized for brands
across a variety of categories.
Building an Army
of Brand Advocates
Friday, March 13,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Hill Country ABCD
#sxsw #brandarmy
Tech companies may be cutting
edge when it comes to technology,
but when it comes to mobilizing an
army of brand advocates they have
much to learn. Join senior executives
from Virgin America, Change.org,
and World Wildlife Fund to see how
some of the world’s most innovative
brands are engaging customers
in strategic brand advocacy, and
cultivating brand evangelists.
Friday 13 March

32
Session picks
from our experts
Brands: Connective
Tissue between People
and Tech
Friday, March 13,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
Zilker Ballroom 3
#sxsw #connective
Brands are now just as likely to
invest in everyday tools, services
and life-hacks as they are traditional
marketing campaigns. The most
trusted brands are already behaving
like lifestyle and wellbeing partners.
If you’re the kind of person who
thinks advertising is a dirty word,
maybe this panel will change your
mind. Leo Burnett’s Global Head of
Social and Mobile James Kirkham
and Contagious’ North American
editorial director Nick Parish will
step into the immediate future to
identify miraculous innovations
that will quickly be brought into the
mainstream by brands.
Personalization for
the People
Saturday, March 14,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Zilker Ballroom 2
#sxsw #incontrol
When companies overstep their
boundaries with tactics that invade
privacy, the results have been
potentially disastrous — government
investigations, consumer group
complaints, and *gasp!* user
abandonment. So how can marketers
reach consumers in a targeted
manner without compromising trust?
By putting the consumer back in
control. When done right, privacy is
maintained, and the consumer gets
exactly what he or she wants, at the
right time, in the right location and
on the device of choice. At the center
of the privacy debate is the mobile
device, the crux of the modern
consumer’s life.
CrossFit: A Passion
Brand and Fitness Cult
Saturday, March 14
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Zilker Ballroom 3
#sxsw #SXCrossFit
From a simple garage gym to
one of Ad Age’s hottest brands,
CrossFit is rapidly redefining how
companies push their messages,
their consumers and their impacts.
With a 50% annual growth rate,
CrossFit is more than the next big
thing in fitness— it’s the new wave
of grassroots marketing.
CrossFit Brand Chief Jimi Letchford
is a highly recruited wrestler,
decorated U.S. Marine Infantry
Officer and original CrossFit
member, hand-picked by founder
and CEO Greg Glassman. Letchford
keeps the brand on message
and on the radar of fitness—and
marketing—minds the world over.
Saturday 14 March

33
Excuse Me!: Do
Marketers and Chat
Really Blend?
Saturday, March 14,
2:00PM - 3:00PM
Sheraton Austin
Capitol Ballroom
701 E 11th St
#sxsw #MPost
When messaging apps first exploded
last year most analysts saw little
role for advertisers in these havens
of chat, disposable and private
messages. Now even ad-averse
leaders like WhatsApp are looking
for ways to bring brands into the
conversation. But is this the right
environment for marketing? Do
chatters really want to be distracted
from one another here? And what
have advertisers gotten from early
partnerships with Kik, Tango, LINE
and SnapChat? Both marketers
and message app providers explore
whether chat really is a new medium
they can bank on.
The Future of Native
Advertising
Sunday, March 15,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Zilker Ballroom 2
#sxsw #newnative
Suddenly, native advertising is
everywhere. In your searches, your
favorite publications, and social
feeds. But really, native has been
around for a long time. Part of
the reason native advertising has
exploded recently is that consumers
are hard to pin down. Marketers
must be more strategic with their ad
creation, meanwhile, social platforms
must prove they can be profitable
businesses and publishers are
desperate for new revenue streams.
Native advertising is the future, but
it will look very different than what
we see today. In this panel we will
discuss the future of successful
native advertising and why it
will benefit both advertisers and
consumers.
Elevated Creativity:
Visually Exploring
Culture
Sunday, March 15,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Zilker Ballroom 2
#sxsw #creativeAI
Too often creativity and data
are seen as rivals, with artificial
intelligence the villain in the
plot against human artistry and
autonomy. But data can be more
than target profiles, user clicks, and
discreet surveillance.
By visually mapping culture, we
can create an elevated space for
creative thought and insight. This
data-sphere becomes a place of
inspiration, where human ingenuity
and data-driven technology
meet, using a more collaborative
“Augmented Intelligence” to trigger
new ideas like never before.
Sunday 15 March

34
The Content and
Distribution TraX
By Erin Lanuti, SVP,
Paid Media and Cross
Channel Strategy,
MSLGROUP
#MSLContent
Bill Gates first coined the term
“content is king” back in 1996. In
2014, the word “content” reigned
supreme and organizations made
significant investments in building
infrastructure to create, manage,
distribute and measure their efforts.
But as quickly as marketers invest,
the content ecosystem changes. As
platforms emerge and evolve, so do
content and distribution strategies.
At MSLGROUP, we view content
through the lens of a cross-channel
strategy. Grounded in a deep
understanding that earned media
is among the most credible content
for generating purchase intent, we
help our clients see the value in
putting targeted paid media around
earned placements. By utilizing cost-
effective paid media vehicles like
native content discovery, influencer
marketing and paid social, we can
extend the reach and value of PR
and more effectively measure its
business value. When complemented
with programmatic ads, we can
serve our placement to the right
targets on the right devices.

35
Session picks
from our experts
The Art and Science
of Shareability
Friday, March 13,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Texas Ballroom 4-7
#sxsw #shareable
Join Dao Nguyen, BuzzFeed’s
publisher, to learn how the site
uses art and science to understand
shareability, distribution and how
to integrate strategic data-driven
research to grow audiences online.
Content Marketing
vs Don Draper:
The End of Ads
Friday, March 13,
2:00PM - 3:00PM
Sheraton Austin,
Capitol Ballroom
#sxsw #MPost
From branded entertainment and
viral video to native advertising
and social media presence, the
real innovation, creative energy
and money in digital marketing
seems headed away from traditional
advertising. It is all about content
now. Brands are publishers,
entertainers, resources. Sponsors
don’t interrupt digital media
experiences; they help build and
enhance them. They need to reach
out to niche audiences in countless
smaller channels with custom
content that is relevant to that
consumer. So, is advertising as we
know it a relic of 20th century mass
media? Is there still room for the
big idea in this world of fragmented,
personalized experiences? Is Don
Draper obsolete?
Use Your Words:
Optimizing Content
for Growth
Saturday, March 14,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Texas Ballroom 4-7
#sxsw #usewords
Should you urge people to “join”
your service or bark at them to “sign
up,” army style? What about your
tagline...how can you possibly sum
up everything you have to offer in
just a handful of words?
In this mobile-first world, where
screen-estate is limited in the
extreme, you need to make every
word count.
Come find out how to write the kind
of short, sweet messages that mobile
demands, hear a few of Pinterest’s
wordsmithing success stories and
learn how to choose the right words
for your own audience.

36
Session picks
from our experts
Can Anyone Really
Trust User-Generated
Content?
Saturday, March 14,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Texas Ballroom 4-7
#sxsw #NoFakeUGC
People have more access to—and
more frequently rely upon—the
recommendations of their peers than
ever before. The feedback of others
we believe to be “like us” has the
power to make or break goods and
services. This begs the question:
does the market have an obligation
to safeguard the authenticity of user-
generated content? Join Bazaarvoice
CEO Gene Austin as he discusses
the dark side of social media, the
impact of inauthentic behavior on
businesses and consumers and what
each of us can do to create a web
worthy of our trust.
The Art and Science
of Data-Driven
Storytelling
Saturday, March 14,
3:30PM - 4:30PM
Big Bend
#sxsw #artofdata
Data is setting a new world order
for everyone from designers, to
developers, to brands, to advertisers
and publishers - but converting
data in its many forms into an
engaging story isn’t always as
easy as it may seem. In a core
conversation with Liz Lukas, CEO
North America of Decoded - the
global company giving professionals
a high-level understanding of
data, code and more - and James
Ball, Special Projects editor for the
Guardian Media Group, explore
how the Guardian is harnessing
data and data scientists to turn
out groundbreaking news stories,
including decoding NSA documents
and more.
Data-Driven Strategy
vs Editorial Gut
Instinct
Sunday, March 15,
11:00AM - 12:00PM
Zilker Ballroom 1
#sxsw #datadriven
Personal taste and intuition used
to rule editorial strategy for media
brands. Today, armed with live
data feeds, in-depth analytics
tools and constant user feedback,
content planning and brand strategy
have become a sort of editorial
Jenga game, carefully balancing
performance and results with the
pressures of an hourly news cycle
and emerging trends.Women’s media
brands Refinery29, Glamour and
Poshly share how they utilize data
to program content—from frequency
of publish and editorial franchises to
overarching brand strategy—without
giving up editorial instinct and risk-
taking entrepreneurial spirit.
Sunday 15 March

37
Transmedia
Storytelling in the
Age of Proximity
Sunday, March 15,
12:30PM - 1:30PM
Texas Ballroom 2-3
#sxsw #TechCities
Cities are changing rapidly. Citizens
and consumers are relying on their
mobile devices for more services
and have higher expectations
from their governments. Brands
and businesses are looking to
engage with consumers in new and
meaningful ways - merging digital
and physical lines of business.
We will explore how cities and
business are moving to take
advantage of these technologies and
the opportunity to better engage with
citizens and customers.
How New Media
Business Models Can
Save Journalism
Sunday, March 15,
5:00PM - 6:00PM
Texas Ballroom 2-3
#sxsw #mediabiz
While society can prosper without
many disrupted businesses,
journalists and the media play
a critical role holding society’s
decision-makers to account. Yet as
they transition to digital, revenues
have been dramatically undermined.
Newspapers have closed and jobs in
journalism have dried up. Now they
face an even more rapid transition
to mobile, where digital dimes are
turning to mobile pennies.
Join insiders from The New York
Times, Vice, First Look Media and
Dutch media startup Blendle as they
dissect and debate the competing
models that will define the media
business of the next decade.
News or Not?
Navigating Native
in the Grey Zone
Monday, March 16,
9:30AM - 10:30AM
Texas Ballroom 4-7
#sxsw #NativeNews
The latest media evolution has
occurred on the paid side, where
prestigious media outlets have come
to embrace content communications/
marketing. FORTUNE, Forbes and
even The New York Times have all
built native advertising platforms.
For brands, “native” has become
a transformative play in their
communications as paid media
is being called upon to deliver the
kind of third-party endorsement that
used to be earned. Navigating this
complicated and still-developing
world of content communications
and marketing requires
original thinking and strategic
communications innovation.
Monday 16 March

38
Publicis Groupe is a global leader in marketing, communication, and business
transformation. We invite you to join us at the SXSW Job Market to learn about
exciting opportunities with our leading agencies, including Saatchi Saatchi,
Leo Burnett, MSLGROUP, ZenithOptimedia, Performics, Razorﬁsh and DigitasLBI.
Join us and grow your skills and
career for both today and tomorrow.
Manage Your
Career at 2015
SXSWInteractive
Face-to-face conversations are the best
way to give your job search a boost. Even
if you’re not looking right this minute, those
connections could come in handy someday.
So freshen up your resume, pack your
business cards, update your portfolio,
organize your digital career links and
add the SXSW Job Market presented by
Publicis Groupe to your Austin itinerary.

39
Parties at SXSW
Interactive
Interactive Opening Party
Friday
Pi Day of the Century
Saturday (a great example of the
fun, quirky side of SXSW; celebrate
Super Pi Moment on 3/14/15
at 9:26:53am)
SXSW Film + Interactive
Fusion Party
Saturday
MashBash at SXSW
Sunday
Interactive Closing Party
Tuesday (Kudos to you if you’re still
going strong on Tuesday after a
party every night.)
There are many unofficial parties
at SXSW too – look on Twitter for
handles like @SXSWPartyList and
@sxswparty that aggregate party
information and tweet it out.
Big parties are cool, but to spend more
time partying and less time waiting, try
going at off-peak times. Be open to where
the night takes you; there’s a lot more
going on downtown than the big official
parties. Our SXSW Interactive party
recommendations are:
Photo by Tye Truitt

40
Austin’s restaurant scene is a swirl of activity,
with cool new eateries popping up everywhere.
In February, CultureMap Austin reported more
than more than 50 restaurant and bar projects
slated for 2015. Here are a few picks from the
new entries as well as some old faves.
Hungry?
Breakfast / Brunch
Counter Cafe
The second location of this downtown
favorite is open at 1914 E. Sixth St.
They serve down-home diner
creations with a gourmet twist for
breakfast and lunch, 7:30 am-4:00 pm.
South Congress Café
The greatest brunch spot in town is
right on the South Congress strip.
Don’t leave without trying their
famous Bloody Mary! Photo by Jason Rosenberg on Flickr
Cisco’s
It’s been there for more than 50 years
– and the décor shows it. Who cares?
The migas and biscuits are to die for.
Juan in a Million
This local favorite has served
fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos,
chalupas and now-famous breakfast
plates since 1980 and the menu has
changed little since then. Why mess
with a good thing?
24 Diner
Forget cookie-cutter diner
stuff. They offer daily
blackboard specials with
ingredients from local farms.
The best chicken and waffles
in Austin.

41
Lunch
Torchy’s Tacos
Chicken, pork, fish, and veggie
– they’re all there, plus taco of
the month specials. Go and be
surprised!
Franklin Barbeque
Check ‘em out for brisket, ribs, pulled
pork, turkey, sausage and more.
Don’t be scared away by the line; it’s
worth the wait. Make a note: they’re
closed on Mondays.
Perlas
Known for their seafood and oyster
bar, this is the top patio spot in town
for people watching.
Fricanos Deli
Daily specials and nothing but fresh
food are hallmarks of this local gem.
It’s right by UT, so get a sandwich to
go and walk up Guadalupe Street.
FoodHeads
There’s a long list of specialty
sandwiches, soups, salads and
sides, all made from scratch. Multiple
tea flavors too.
Hula Hut
If you’ve never had Mexican food
with a Tiki twist, Austin is the place
to try it. Ask for a table on the back
patio overlooking the lake.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Burgers and beer are the specialties,
but while you’re there, treat yourself
to a Chocolate Stout or Red Velvet
Cake shake.
Dinner, Food Trucks
and Happy Hours
Fixe
This modern southern creation
opened late last year in the new IBC
Bank building on West Fifth Street.
The early word is very good.
Lucky’s Puccias
After a successful Kickstarter
campaign, this popular trailer opened
a brick-and-mortar at 1611 W. Fifth St.
in mid-January. In addition to the
puccias (Italian wood-fired flatbread
sandwiches), pizzas are on the menu.
Take note, the trailer’s only open until
3:00 pm Monday through Thursday.
Gourdough’s Public House
The newest location of Gourdough’s
Public House opened in late January.
Just in case you need booze and
donuts without leaving 78701.
La Traviata
Elegant dining is the way this Italian
bistro describes itself. We highly
encourage a visit (closed Sundays).
Eddie V’s
Downtown Austin’s nicest seafood
restaurant. We recommend the Tuna
Tartare, Hong Kong Style Sea Bass
or Bone-in Filet. And leave room for
the Bananas Foster Flambé.
Reservations suggested.
Curra’s Grill
This may be the best Tex-Mex in the
city. Order the avocado margarita.
La Condesa
This contemporary take on Mexican
cuisine is located in the 2nd Street
district. Try the seasonal salsa.
Vespaio
This is Italian food at its finest.
Vespaio on South Congress serves
authentic antipasti, pizzas, pastas,
entrees and decadent desserts.
Uchi+Uchiko
Uchi is closer to downtown and
Uchiko is larger, but both offer
Japanese small plates and sushi.
Paul Qui (winner of Top Chef Season
9) is the executive chef at Uchiko.
Moonshine
When you crave classic American
comfort food, this is your stop. The
Pecan Crusted Catfish and White
Chocolate Bread Pudding are staples!
Second Bar + Kitchen
Clean, contemporary décor paired
with seasonal ingredients and local
artisan products create a cool vibe
for a casual night out.
Lambert’s Downtown Barbeque
Now this feels like Texas. Classic
favorites made fancy with an
inventive twist.
Barley Swine
If you have a car and can get a
reservation, this unique culinary
experience is not to be missed. The
Chef’s Selection menu is $75 per
person.
Our other favorites include Stubb’s
BBQ, Iron Cactus, Gueros, Hudson’s
on the Bend and the scallops from
Wink. If you’re feeling adventurous
(and have transportation), make the
trek to The Salt Lick for the
barbecue; you’ll thank us!
Photo by John Tornow on Flickr

42
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SXSW tips? Tweet us!
@msl_group
@MSLGROUPNA
#MSLSXSW
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