The Event Profs Behind SXSW on What to Expect This Year
Host:\xa0David Adler
Guests:\xa0Hugh Forrest, Cindy Lo
In this episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash chairman and founder David Adler sits down with two key event profs behind South by Southwest (SXSW), the buzzy annual festival in Austin that attracts emerging talent, iconic performances, and groundbreaking ideas in the realms of music, TV/film, tech, and culture. We first hear from\xa0Hugh Forrest, SXSW\u2019s co-president and chief programming officer, who delves into the festival\u2019s 30-plus-year history, how it\u2019s evolved and thrived in those decades, why AI will be a big topic this year, and what else he\u2019s most looking forward to at the 2023 festival.\xa0Cindy Lo, CEO of full-service events agency\xa0RED VELVET, then joins the pod. She\u2019s been producing brand events and activations for years with SXSW, and here she discusses what both planners and attendees want most out of these experiences, how brands are measuring ROI, and how the fest is attracting younger generations. This is a preview episode you won\u2019t want to miss.