As SXSW kicks off, marketers embrace it as an ‘accessible’ conference for content, connection

When Greg Swan first attended South by Southwest (SXSW) 17 years ago, it “cracked open” his world. 

“It’s a culture of people who start with ‘yes’ versus start from a ‘no’ or ‘we can’t’,” said Swan, senior partner and Midwest digital lead at Finn partners.

Being surrounded by attendees with that mindset makes it a crucial stop for Swan, who has over the years changed his networking approach for the festival. Instead of seeking out the hottest parties, Swan now hosts what he calls “stranger dinners” each night, where he gathers eight to 10 attendees for dinner to talk about what they saw and debate ideas. That’s his plan for this year’s conference, which kicks off today and will run through March 15th in Austin, Texas.

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