SXSW 2017 – Five Things Communicators Need to Know

 As the intersection of technology, marketing and communications, SXSW is the place to discuss the future of technology across industries. This year, the PR Council was on the ground to explore the latest insights and innovations from Austin, Texas. Here are the trends and topics we saw being discussed.

Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality

Last year was the year of VR at SXSW – virtual reality was everywhere in Austin, and it seemed like every brand that had a presence at SXSW was either using it or talking about it.This year, VR enters its tween phase – it’s not a splashy, brand-new technology, but neither is it a mature medium (that’s probably 3-5 years out). The question has evolved from “Should we be using VR?” (to which 2016 gave a resounding “yes”) to “Is it scalable?” And the answer this year is “Not yet, but it will be soon” – however, there’s a lot of nuance to this.Gaming will likely continue to lead in the VR space, but there are plenty of industries that will benefit from the technology. Is VR useful for every industry? No, but not every new platform or every new technology is. Where VR (and 360 video) excel is in immersion and experience – and if you are in an industry that visually engages with its audience, this technology will become mainstream in the coming years.For those wondering whether VR is worth it: While professional VR productions are still very expensive, VR’s incredible ability to connect on a truly personal level with consumers brings a value that traditional media can’t come close to matching. VR and 360 video shine in brand loyalty and consumer experience – for example, National Geographic uses their 360/VR videos to augment their physical storytelling, transporting their audiences to the locations immersively in addition to the visual photography and stories that traditionally make up the magazine, and has seen a strong community form around these videos.

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