In the heart of Sydney’s tranquil Chinese Garden of Friendship, DEPT® Australia’s Garden House emerged as a sanctuary of connection, innovation and good vibes at SXSW Sydney 2023.
For three unforgettable days, the technology and marketing services specialist partnered with Variety for a series of talks and panel discussions with industry-leading experts exploring the latest trends and innovations in tech and marketing.
The program featured a bunch of highlights, including a talk on “Pioneering Meaningful Social Impact” with speakers from B Lab, Canva and DEPT®. Plus, a panel on “Building Cultural Credibility Through Content” led by DEPT® Head of Strategy Antonio Castiglia, alongside speakers from iHeartRadio, Red Bull, and Linkby. This was followed by a lively discussion between Rolling Stone & Variety Editor-in-Chief Poppy Reid and Andrew Stone from Chugg Music.
On the final day, guests were treated to a talk titled “The Name of the Game: Brands and Marketing in a Playful World” with speakers from Totally Awesome, MODA DAO, Chaos Theory Games and DEPT®.
As globally-recognised agency DEPT® declared its intention to put down roots in Australia, the event became a unique platform to introduce their brand to the local market.
DEPT®‘s tagline, “An Agency for Today and Tomorrow,” resonated throughout the Garden House, reinforcing their identity as a digital native agency that’s shaping the future of marketing and technology.
It was more than just an event space; it was a temporary home for all those who walked through its doors. DEPT® brought its A-game, with a guest list that read like a who’s who of global tech and marketing giants.
Guests and clients from Meta, Google, TikTok, Microsoft, Spotify, Netflix, eBay, Amazon, Uber, Twitch, Adobe, and Snap underscored their impressive reach and influence in a new market.
But the standout of DEPT® Garden House was the cocktail party, held on a balmy Thursday night in the fully illuminated Chinese Garden of Friendship. This special evening saw DEPT® partnering with Variety to host 150 hand-selected guests for an exclusive night of live music and networking.
Attendees would make their way through the immersive experience that was the DEPT® Garden House archway and make their way up the black carpet. Inside, guests were treated to live music by Aussie icon and DJ Faustina (Fuzzy) Agolley, a photobooth and custom cocktail station.
More than a night to celebrate, the Garden House party created an oasis amidst the whirlwind of SXSW Sydney – and marked an important first step in DEPT®’s expansion into Australia.
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