The Sharpie x Paper Mate Studio
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Sharpie and the 75th anniversary of Paper Mate—two household brands that Gina Lázaro, vp of brand management for parent company Newell Brands, aimed to reintroduce to new generations through its Rainey Street studio at SXSW this week. Partnering with multi-hyphenate actor, writer and producer Mindy Kaling, who gave a Q&A at the activation on Saturday, the brands both had new products on display: the Sharpie Creative Markers and Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Bright! Pens.
“This is the hub of creativity and innovation,” Lázaro said. “We wanted to introduce our new products in a place that was right for that, to unleash this innate creativity that exists in all these wonderful people.”
The Audible Sound Experience
With a downtown space tucked between the conference spaces and film venues, Audible built a carnival—complete with a functioning ferris wheel—to showcase all the magical places that storytelling can take listeners on its platform.
“SXSW is a cultural moment every year that at its core allows for people to share ideas and fuel their imaginations,” James Finn, head of content marketing at Audible, told ADWEEK. “Our festival-themed listening moments, including our sonic ferris wheel where attendees can ride in audio-enabled passenger gondolas, are an exciting way to introduce our expansive catalog of audio entertainment across podcasts, audiobooks and Audible Originals.”
Porsche: Full Service
The automaker’s downtown Austin activation sends visitors through a Meow Wolf-inspired car wash—depositing them in front of a vintage Porsche within a Route 66-themed space. Functioning like a full-service tuneup for guests with drinks and snacks, the activation also highlighted the all-electric Macan and Taycan, both on display, alongside the Porsche e-bike.
