Day 1 highlights for me were: 1. Maker Media; 2. Coca-Cola; 3. Allergic Outbreak.
Allergic Outbreak? Is that a new property? No, that was me developing full body hives after eating something, maybe the shrimp ceviche, at the evening reception. For the second straight trip (see SXSW blog) that I have gotten sick. Hmm, maybe it’s time for me to stay home.
The good side of Day 1 were two great presentations.
Coca-Cola demonstrated how they have moved sponsorship beyond partnership to entrepreneurship. Their venture collaborations with properties and tech entrepreneurs are giving them a unique edge. Whether it be Spotify or Misfit, Coke has been leveraging their own marketing and distribution scale while simultaneously tapping into the agility of startups. They like to instigate collisions of opposites and lovers to forge new ground.
Speaking of startups, the Maker Media presentation focussed on what I would call almost “pre-startups”. Their Maker Faire event is the event of the future. Featuring garage inspired inventors demonstrating their pet projects and creations, Maker Faire is the county fair for smart people. They are a uniquely open sourced event to the point where they share their learnings with startup competitors and also refuse to allow category exclusivity for their sponsors.
Innovation, Collaboration, Collision, Invention.
I’m not allergic to any of the above.