SXSW 2024: Ones to Watch

SXSW is back in Austin March 8-16, with its proprietary blend of techno-cultural-creative programming. This year’s conference schedule is serving thousands of sessions, from keynotes to panels to fireside chats, all aimed at filling the inspiration tank with new ideas and discoveries. And with more than twenty tracks of programming for attendees, covering topics from AI to XR, the FOMO is about to get real.

Never fear, VML Intelligence has been poring over the bursting schedule to pick out two daily highlights across the eight days of the conference, from main stage keynotes to some hidden tucked-away gems.

The team will also be on the ground in Austin, rounding up the highlights and key trends from the show, which already seem set to track some of the themes explored in this year’s Future 100, from the growing need for togetherness and belonging to reimagining what it means to be human in the age of AI.

Download our handy one page guide of recommendations for the must-see sessions below, and see the VML Intelligence channel for live reports during the show.

Our picks of what not to miss at SXSW:

Heading to SXSW? Here's what we've got going on:

Is The Wellness Industry Well?

As the $4.5 trillion wellness category explodes, the value of science has never been greater. But misinformation continues to fuel a culture of confusion and exclusion. As an industry long-shrouded in vague claims and pretty packaging, we’ve treated “wellness” as a unicorn – unattainable within our daily realities and breeding an (at best) confusing or (at worst) dangerous situation for consumers. The truth is that evidence-based science, accessibility and inclusion make for not only healthier people, but a trusted and healthier reputation for this rapidly growing industry.

With Katie Williams, Chief Marketing Officer, US, Haleon; Stefani Klaskow, Healthcare Industry Director, Google; Rina Raphael, Freelance Writer, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Men's Health

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Intel's One Mono Typeface

After the release of their VML- and Frere-Jones-designed corporate font, Intel sought to create a monospace version to support their thriving developer community, particularly vision-impaired developers. Together we created Intel One Mono as an open-source font on Github and encouraged users to expand on it. Testing revealed an 11% improvement in reading speed over other popular coding typefaces. At SXSW, we'll walk through the complete process to show how this new milestone in user-centered font design came to be.

With Robb Smigielski, Chief Design Officer, VML; Melissa Evers, VP, Software and Advanced Technology Group & General Manager, Strategy To Execution, Intel; Matt Turrini, Brand Identity Strategist, Intel; and Fred Shallcrass Typeface Designer, Frere-Jones Type

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Diversity in Media & Tech

The panel discussion “Empowering Women in Media and Tech: Driving Diversity and Inclusion for a More Equitable Future” brings together a diverse group of women leaders from the media and technology industries to explore the critical role of diversity and inclusion in creating thriving workplaces and impactful experiences for clients and consumers.

With Laura Mignott, Global Chief Experiential Officer, VML Commerce; Heather Carruthers, President, Qualitative, Ipsos; Jess Shuraleff, Director, Head, US & Canada Restaurants, Uber Advertising, Uber; Madelyn Olavarria, Strategic Account Manager and Co-President, Women, Amazon Web Services; and Kay Prince, Director, Growth Marketing, XR Extreme Reach

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Dell & VML E-Cycling at SXSW

Every year, 53.6 million tons of electronics become e-waste – that’s 16 pounds for every single person on the planet, and only 17.4% of it is being recycled globally. To raise awareness of this critical need at SXSW, Dell Technologies and VML created the first large-scale 3D QR code installation made from e-waste. Scan the giant QR code, which takes you to Dell.com/Recycle (see link below) and learn how to recycle old technology and download a pre-paid shipping label to mail it back.

The installation will be at the corner of San Jacinto and 3rd Street (207 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin TX), a few blocks away from Dell’s SXSW event venue at the Riley Building from March 8-10

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