Only a few spots left to join us for the Digiday Publishing Summit

Join us Sept. 14-16 in Miami to connect with top publishing leaders

SECURE YOUR SEAT

The definitive Digiday guide to what’s in and what’s out at SXSW

Digiday is at SXSW giving you the latest industry news out of the festival at Austin, Texas. More from the series →

SXSW has lost some of its luster. Mega-events typically follow a trajectory in which they reach great heights before an inevitable decline. SXSW’s height was probably Barack Obama coming to speak in 2016. Agencies have curtailed their contingents, brands aren’t as hot and bothered, and few are looking for the next startup darling to emerge in Austin, Texas, this weekend. Still, the ride can be fun.

Here’s our take on who will be up, who will be down and who will go sideways at this year’s edition of SXSW Interactive.

More in Marketing

Digiday+ Research: The marketers’ 2026 guide to retail media marketing, including The Home Depot, Milani Cosmetics and Tinuiti

As the retail media landscape continues to evolve, marketers are rethinking where they invest, how they measure success and which retail media networks deserve a larger share of budget.

Why more celebrity-led brands are shutting down

Celebrity-backed brands, once seen as surefire bets due to their founders’ built-in audiences, are increasingly facing a reality check.

search referral traffic for publishers

In Graphic Detail: How AI search has impacted the web traffic of over 50 advertisers

Data spanning one agency’s entire client roster shows the true impact of AI search on web traffic and conversions.