One of the biggest cultural events on the planet, South by Southwest, will be coming up soon in Austin, Texas (beginning on March 12). More info: https://sxsw.com.This video showcases how SXSW became so big, by using its own marketing playbook.So what exactly is SXSW? And how did it get so big?With an attendance of just 700 people, SXSW started back in 1987 with a goal to help creative people achieve their goals. Fast forward to 2019, and that number had exploded to over 417,000 people from 106 countries.So, what is this gathering really all about? It’s not just one event. South by Southwest, or SXSW, is really built on three core pillars: Ideas, culture, and connections.IdeasSXSW is essentially a pop-up university featuring 5,000 speakers spread over 2,000 sessions — all spread across 20 different programming tracks.CultureThen you have the second pillar, which is really the cultural heart of SXSW. It’s where it all started, the legendary film and music festivals. SXSW is a global stage for discovery. In 2019 alone, there were 133 feature films and almost 2,000 performing acts from 62 countries.ConnectionsSXSW hosts more than 350 official parties and networking events. This is the glue that holds the whole shebang together, where a random chat or a line for a taco can turn into a million-dollar deal.PeopleWho are the hundreds of thousands of attendees that make this whole thing tick?SXSW features almost a perfect 50-50 split between male and female attendees with 62% of attendees between the ages of 26 and 44. They make up a who’s who of people in creative and innovation industries, including marketing and advertising, film and TV, books and music, technology and media.Almost 60% are there to find new business. 42% want to connect with their clients.This is why brands like Mercedes-Benz, Uber Eats, and McDonald’s show up in a huge way.The big question: What’s the next big idea that’s will come out of this wild gathering in Texas?Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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