The document summarizes key takeaways from various talks and innovations presented at SXSW 2016. Some of the main topics discussed include artificial intelligence through services like Viv and Kik's bartender bot; virtual and augmented reality applications like Help and ways brands can use VR; communication strategies like using niche interests to connect with audiences and removing "bullshit" from messaging; and the importance of social customer service. The document provides brief overviews and implications for marketers for each innovation highlighted from the conference.

1. Curiosity Stop:
The Social Innovation Roundup
SXSW 2016 Special
March 2016

2. Curiosity Stop >
SXSW
The annual circus of South by Southwest Interactive
may be regarded by some as a vacuus and over-
commercialised festival of all things tech, more about
the endless sponsored parties and barbeques than
the talks themselves.
But, despite drinking my quota of free beer, I’ve come
back from SXSW energised and inspired. From
hearing how WhatsApp is being used as a CRM tool
by brands in Brazil, learning about the mechanics of
the different algorithmic approaches to AI, to seeing
a Japanese professor on stage next to a life-size,
semi-autonomous android version of himself, SXSW
delivered yet again, and in a big way.
Read on for our take on some of the innovations we
came across, that you probably want to know about.
Robin Grant
Global Managing Director

3. Artificial Intelligence >
Viv
What’s it all about?
Viv is the brainchild of Siri’s founder, who says that the
voice navigation service he sold to Apple was merely
‘chapter one’ of a bigger narrative. His vision is to
create a cloud-based AI service that can plug into
everything so that your objects, projects and problems
can be solved by machine learning remotely that gets
smarter by the minute.
The bigger picture
There was a lot of talk about AI at SXSW 2016 but not
many opportunities for marketers to actually do
anything just yet. But when it hits, it will change
everything.

4. Communication >
How To Stop Speaking In Bullshit
What’s it all about?
One of the most refreshing talks at SXSW was on bullshit,
and why we need to stop using terms like synergy and
thought-leadership. When you use this over-produced and
manipulative language, you create a wall between yourself
(or your brand) and your audience.
People use bullshit to pretend like they know what they’re
talking about, but we should ask ourselves: Am I saying
something that the average person would understand? As
panellist Jon Favreau said, “If you wouldn’t say it to a friend
in a bar, don’t say it.”
The bigger picture
Is your brand full of bullshit? Before you tweet, think
about what you are trying to tell your audience. Then
say it clearly - or if necessary, don’t say it at all.

5. 360 >
Help
What’s it all about?
Help is an only-for-mobile 360 film which is the most high
budget piece of 360 we’ve seen. It’s a five minute piece
where you observe the arrival of an alien creature that
chases you through the subway before an emotional
climax.
The bigger picture
It’s not enough for brands just to ‘do’ 360 or VR anymore
and be expected to be recognised as being innovators. The
content has to be strong in its own right.

6. Virtual Reality >
Virtual Reality in Fashion
What’s it all about?
Kevin Cornish, a VR filmmaker who has worked with the likes
of Taylor Swift, had advice for brands wanting to dive into
the virtual world. Rather than slapping an Oculus Rift onto
any campaign, ask yourself if the experience would be 10
times better by using VR. If not, don't do it.
If you are using VR, think about what you want your piece to
look like. If you are a luxe brand, you might consider doing a
one-off, high-end piece. If you are a fast-moving brand, you
could film Snapchat-style videos on VR. Whatever you
produce, make sure it’s suited to your brand.
The bigger picture
This year, your VR campaign’s only chance of success is
through PR. Next year, the headset market will be more
evolved, and you might actually directly reach some
consumers.

7. Broadcast >
Lisnr
What’s it all about?
Lisnr is on a one startup mission to kill the fledgling beacon
industry and maybe bluetooth while they are at it. The
problem with beacons is that they need to be present -
physically. Lisnr solves this problem by triggering content
on smart devices through an inaudible sound wave. This is
compatible with any speaker and any microphone. This
means you can embed content into any sound be it a song,
a video or a live performance.
The bigger picture
For marketers, getting relevant content onto their
customers’ mobiles at point of purchase is gold dust and
Lisnr may have cracked how to do it.

8. Artificial Intelligence >
Lark
What’s it all about?
Lark is a personal health coach, which uses your phone
sensors to make recommendations. As it’s a bot, Lark is
available 24/7 - something that wouldn’t be possible if it
was staffed by humans.
The founder of Lark, Julia Hu, gave a talk on the rise of
messaging apps. She argued that people are willing to
express more about their preferences to a brand like Lark,
which has a human-like quality, than an app like
MyFitnessPal.
The bigger picture
Thinking about creating an artificially intelligent messaging
app for your brand? Hu’s advice was to maintain a
controlled environment. If you set up a completely open
bot, you're more open to ridicule when it can’t answer a
simple question.

9. Art >
Laurie Lipton
What’s it all about?
The SXSW film festival runs concurrently with the interactive
schedule and the Curiosity Stop took some time out to get a
different perspective. #Lovebite was a documentary which
looked at the artist Laurie Lipton who has spent the last 40
years drawing with pencil on paper. Her exacting and almost
photo-real technique sucks in the viewer and delivers an anti-
technology message that warns us that we’re becoming
slaves to the machines.
The bigger picture
In the midst of the SXSW technobabble it was refreshing to
be moved by lines drawn of pencil on paper. It was a
reminder that innovation doesn’t have to come from new
technology, just a new way of thinking.

10. Customer Care >
Social Service
What’s it all about?
As we learnt from a panel called Is Twitter the New
Customer Call Centre?, it costs $1 to solve an issue on
social, compared to $6 in a call centre. What’s more, the
cost of not doing social service is a lot higher than cost of
doing it. As Michael Nagel argued, silence is painfully loud
when dealing with customers.
One third of consumers say they’d rather clean a toilet
than speak with customer service. Great social service
shows you care about your customer, like Southwest
Airlines, who have an average Twitter response time of six
minutes.
The bigger picture
Be where your customers are, and understand the
importance of listening. Then talk to them like
real people.

11. Artificial Intelligence >
Kik Bartender Bot
What’s it all about?
KIK is a chat app that uses bots as a tool for brands to
connect with its 240 million users. KIK invited us to
their private pool party to demo some real world uses
of their platform including a drinks ordering system
through the app. Instead of going to the bar you
could just chat to a bot that asked you what you
wanted to drink and then a real person came and
gave it to you.
The bigger picture
We will see an explosion of chat interfaces this year
as brands realise that text is quick, cheap and
something that all their customers already use and
understand.

12. Communication >
Millennials
What’s it all about?
Philippe von Borries, founder of Refinery29, asked
everyone to drop the term millennials. He thinks we've
been having the wrong conversation all along. They're not
a lazy generation, or an ambitious generation, or any of the
other stereotypes. Millennial is a mindset, and anyone
from 19 to 90 can have it.
Millennials want to feel connected to people all over the
world, they want to belong, and they want to feel a sense
of purpose. What connect these three things? Niches.
Niches break down barriers and connect people. Whatever
you’re into, there’s a tribe out there for you (take Bronies,
for example).
The bigger picture
Are you trying to talk a group of clones, or are you
tapping into individual niches?

13. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Viv
Kik Bartender Bot
Lark
360 / VR
Virtual Reality in Fashion
Help
ART
Laurie Lipton
BROADCAST
Lisnr
COMMUNICATION
Millennials
How To Stop Speaking In
Bullshit
CUSTOMER CARE
Social Service

14. WE ARE SOCIAL
We Are Social is a global agency with offices in five continents
(Antarctica is a little too chilly for our liking).
We deliver world-class creative ideas with forward-thinking brands, and have fun doing it. Our
clients include adidas, Google and Netflix.
As an international team of 550+, our passion is people. Our mission is to put social thinking at
the centre of marketing.
Trendspotting might get us unnaturally excited, but what really counts is action. If you'd like to
speak to We Are Social about how to make innovation work for your brand, email us at
talktous@wearesocial.net