SXSW Day 3 – Random Thoughts

Image courtesy of friend and colleague Josh Skidmore.

Today’s highlights…aside from a tasty lunch at Whole Foods World HQ:

Guy Kawasaki & Panel – In his panel discussion on social media websites Guy stressed that marketers need to stop overthinking things and just crank stuff out. Plan less, do more. There are many unintended consquences…the things you don’t plan are often the best that happen.

Judo Moves for Defending Your Reputation Online – interesting talk by Thor Muller from Satisfaction about how you manage brand reputations in the era of viral/social marketing. Best judo tip? CAST A LONG SHADOW – get out there and build content on Google to crowd out attacks and provide valuable context.

Managing a Creative Environment – probably the talk of the day…from Adaptive Path. Researched over 10 highly creative organizations/environments (arts, theater, culinary, etc.) and synthesized common approaches. Best points were: (1) generate new projects/assignments around the teams’ interests as that will ensure that everyone engages and goes further, and (2) celebrate failure…because to be innovative or inventive, you have to take risks.

The Agency: There Will Be Blood – general discussion (panel) on the changing landscape in the world of marketing, advertising and web agencies. The winners will be those who focus on maximize possibility in this new world…not those who are focused on minimizing risk by holding on to their past/current model. Also the changing nature of experience development from (a) building things so people will come to (b) moving out into the space where people are at (mobile, microsite, etc.).

Hope to get some sweet schwag from Adobe tonight…at their Sneak Peak party.