Strategy is always on the look-out for trends that matter to the advertising and marketing industries. So when SXSW leaders including the Co-President and Chief Programming Officer came to us offering to dissect and digest the abundance of insights and innovations that came out of the keynotes and sessions at the 2024 fest, we jumped at the opportunity. It’s no easy task filtering ideas and themes from more than 1,500 sessions, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. After an exhaustive distillation, here are the overarching need-to-know issues and trends they believe marketers and creative leaders will be impacted by in the second half of the year.

By Hugh Forrest, Blake Kammerdiener, Laura Mingail

Consumer Behaviour

The world is focusing more on climate change, social impact initiatives and civic engagement in response to global challenges and crises. There is a trend towards taking action, over simply supporting initiatives that increase awareness. This unlocks real change, and opportunity for brands to rally behind authentic, positive, relevant stories. That change can happen through community and collaboration. 

Of note, there has been a strong shift towards prioritizing digital well-being amid the negative impact that social media is having on youth. But, this focus is not centered on technology avoidance. Tech can actually be seen as a means to support mental health. The increased value of care extends to communities and our environment, with storytelling being used to foster empathy and connect deeply with audiences. 

Consumers also care more about each other and our planet, impacting not only evolving values but expectations of brands. There is a continued consumer shift towards spending on sustainability and health across product categories, demanding brands demonstrate a genuine proven commitment to these areas. Expectations are also growing for brands to act responsibly and ethically, including engaging in social issues. This is having a greater impact on brand loyalty and purchasing decisions.

Technology 

AI has positive implications for creativity and business, but it also poses significant issues. Most relevant to product and brand leaders is how AI will disrupt consumer experiences, and sentiment around these changes. For example, AI-powered software, wearable devices and robots will solve evolving consumer problems, while also raising new privacy, security and ethical considerations that must be addressed before driving adoption. 

AI’s influence on content production is also accelerating personalization, but brand trust is essential as personalization can seem creepy and invasive without this. Ethical AI and privacy expectations are increasing as audiences become more aware of what is possible, especially with advances to technology they are interacting with online and in the physical world. There is, rightly so, increased consumer expectations for transparency of what is being tracked, how it is being used, and other ethical considerations. The industry must figure out how to ethically use AI in the storytelling space to both protect rights and advance what is possible for creators and audiences.

Additionally, there is growing discussion around the use of immersive experiences via virtual and mixed realities. XR’s role in creating immersive brand interactions reflects the rapid adoption of these technologies to generate truly engaging experiences. Brands are not only creating their own immersive experiences, they are also backing creatives working in this space. 

Content and Media

There has been a growth in the integration of AI in e-commerce and the impact that this will have on the buying experience. It is accelerating more hyper-personalized and engaging online shopping experiences. The intersection of technology and fashion has created an opportunity for smart retail, helping both sustainability and the company bottom line. The approach is even being used to predict fashion trends and purchase intent. 

From podcasts to online platforms, content consumption, creation, and monetization is becoming more intertwined, as consumers become creators. Audiences are increasingly seeking authentic content and community connections over slick produced content. This further blurs the line between everyday consumers and creators. This can inspire a shift to spending more on empowering consumers to create, rather than traditional influencers.

Additionally, as the digital native generation increases their influence across technology adoption, there is a rising expectation for interaction with story worlds and brands, going beyond traditional video content.

Hugh Forrest (pictured, left) is the co-president and chief programming officer for SXSW, Blake Kammerdiener (pictured, right) is senior manager, film and TV, XR programming for SXSW, and Laura Mingail (pictured, center) is the founder of Archetypes & Effects.