Each year, Austin, Texas hosts the South by Southwest conference where the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture is showcased and celebrated. True to the innovative and collaborative spirit of the conference, SXSW relies on public involvement to help select their lineup using the SXSW Panel Picker. This platform allows you to browse proposals, leave comments and vote for the most important sessions.
Building on the success of our SXSW panels earlier this year, the Ad Council is excited to present our proposed topics for the 2024 SXSW lineup. From generative AI to building impactful mental health campaigns, we want to address our country’s most pressing issues—but we need your help. We invite you to shape the conversation by using the links to read each proposal and cast your vote. Your vote could determine who’s on stage next March. Decide the look and feel of the next SXSW before voting ends on August 20.
UX Design for Community: Models for Ethical Co-Creation
Co-creation is a powerful UX research tool, but what does ethical co-creation look like in action? The Ad Council and Citizen Tech Collective partnered on in-person co-creation sessions with Black and Hispanic men in Texas to inform the design of a new website focused on mental health literacy. This session outlines a case study for planning and integrating trauma-informed practices that center community voices and needs. The audience will leave understanding the power of co-design, how to incorporate insights from co-creation into the design, and considerations for using an ethical approach.
Are Non-Profits Ready for the Generative AI Revolution?
Generative AI is rapidly transforming the workplace and the world. It arrives with promise and peril for non-profit organizations, which are often under-resourced and slower to adopt the latest technology. Hear from non-profit thought leaders on different approaches the sector is taking in balancing the adoption of generative AI with all other technology. From developing policies and ethics statements to approaches for upskilling employees, this panel will be a snapshot in time for where we are in AI’s evolution in the non-profit space.
Immersive Impact: Driving Change Through Virtual Experiences
Step into the world of immersive experiences and discover how marketers are leveraging this transformative technology to create tangible impact and ignite meaningful change. Join us in this engaging panel, moderated by the Ad Council, where we delve into the diverse realms of immersive experiences, from social and gaming platforms to decentralized web3 environments. We'll explore the remarkable potential of this technology and the myriad ways it is being harnessed by non-profits, brands, and government agencies to raise awareness, evoke empathy and drive real-world outcomes.
How Brands Drive Social Impact
We all want to make a positive impact on the world, but corporations and brands can run the risk of being seen as performative or missing the mark when it comes to social impact messaging. This discussion will bring best-in-class examples of how brands have come together around critical issues to amplify life-saving work, create award-winning platforms, and activate their network leading to lasting change.
Live Sports Drives Online Impact
Sports fans are in a league of their own: they are the fiercest, the most loyal, the most engaged fans on the planet. And live sports have the power to connect your brand message to these ultra-impassioned audiences through the biggest, most-watched moments on TV. This panel, through the lens of vital social issues, will illustrate the undeniable impact of aligning the right message with the right viewers in the right environment, and how harnessing the power of live sports can supercharge a salient broadcast message to drive significant online action – even more than digital sources can.
The Human Impact: Redefining Storytelling with Emerging Tech
What happens when leaders from banking, social impact, sustainability, and design-build the future with blockchain, AI, and immersive worlds? Learn how these trailblazing women harnessed emerging tech to reimagine industries, transform storytelling, and boost audience engagement - all while prioritizing purpose, inclusion, and responsibility. Explore strategies for breaking down barriers, navigating corporate caution, and ensuring tech bolsters user experience and design intent without getting in the way. Gain insights on how you can intentionally experiment with emerging tech in your industry.
Saving Lives During the Opioid Crisis Using Trusted Voices
Young people in the US are facing a life and death matter: in 2021, 84% of adolescent drug overdoses involved illegally manufactured fentanyl, which is found laced into illicit drugs and used to make counterfeit prescription pills. How can we save the lives of young people? The answer isn’t “don’t do drugs” - it’s real information, from the people who know, including former drug dealers, creators, and media that can reach young people.
Hear how the Real Deal on Fentanyl campaign has leveraged the power of trusted, if unexpected, messengers to break through with young people and save lives.
“The Paper Ceiling:” A Case Study in Transforming Culture
In September 2022, a groundbreaking PSA campaign introduced the language of “tearing the paper ceiling” into the national conversation, giving a name to the invisible barrier that holds back STARs: workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes rather than a bachelor’s degree. We’ve driven incredible awareness: 4 in 10 employers report familiarity with the phrase as of June 2023, and it’s been referenced as a business “buzzword” in outlets like Fortune, Bloomberg and Newsweek. In this short time, we’ve effectively seeded this concept in culture and created more momentum to transform hiring practices.
Combatting Mental Health Stigma Among Veterans
Tragically, more than 6,000 Veterans die by suicide each year in the United States. A new campaign from Ad Council and VA aims to connect Veterans with help and support before things reach a boiling point – and reduce stigma and other barriers along the way.
This panel will break down the insights that are helping change the way Veterans think about mental health support. The panel will also showcase new formats, such as livestream gaming, where delivering the right message in the right place can help save Veterans' lives.
Building Actionable Campaigns Around Mental Health
How did The Ad Council, Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab, Amazon Music, and Alexa build a campaign that inspired connection and conversation on mental health? Hear directly from the team on how to harness audience insights, technology, and unique touchpoints to make an actionable campaign.
Finding Common Ground To Prevent Gun Deaths
Gun violence takes 43,000 lives annually, yet it’s still a topic that is polarizing and divisive. In this session, the Ad Council will be joined by Brady, Dentsu, and Bustle Digital Group to share how we are changing the narrative around gun violence through End Family Fire, a campaign that seeks to end preventable gun deaths by appealing to a shared desire to keep our loved ones safe. On this panel, we will discuss how End Family Fire has leveraged target insights and expert perspectives and rallied the industry to engage an entrenched audience and save lives.
Data Unleashed: How Brands are Reinventing Big Biz with Data
In an age where every company is poised to be a data company, understanding how to leverage consumer data may be the difference between brand power and irrelevance. This panel brings together data and brand experts from the likes of Pernod Ricard (2nd largest wine & spirits producer in the world), Walmart and the Ad Council to dissect the importance of leveraging data as a force for good, to optimize operations or transform businesses. They will explore why data is a mission-critical asset for brands, and how to handle it ethically and legally while enhancing consumer experiences and driving business growth.