DEPT® Australia will open the doors to its special place next week at the inaugural SXSW Sydney.
From Oct. 18 to 20, the technology and marketing services specialist will settle in at the Chinese Garden of Friendship, next to the ICC Sydney and Tumbalong Boulevard, at the heart of the SXSW Sydney action.
From 2pm each day, the spotlight falls on talks and panel discussions, with lunch breaks and happy hours set to keep the conversation flowing.
The Wednesday program includes the session “Pioneering Meaningful Social Impact,” including speakers Kira Day (Policy and Advocacy Manager, B Lab), Leigh McLeod (Social Impact Program Manager, Canva) and Jessica White (General Manager Australia, DEPT).
On Thursday, Rolling Stone & Variety Editor-in-Chief Poppy Reid will guide a discussion titled, “Tapping into the Niche: Building Cultural Credibility Through Content,” alongside guest speakers Stephanie Coombes (Podcast Content Director, iHeartRadio), Huw Araniego-Ellis (Cultural Marketing Manager, Red Bull), Chris Wirasinha (Co-Founder, Linkby) and Antonio Castiglia (Strategy Director, DEPT).
And later that evening, Variety teams up with DEPT for a special Garden House cocktail party, where guests will be treated to drinks, canapés and live music.
The final day’s programming is shaping up with a panel on “The Name of the Game: Brands and Marketing in a Playful World,” with a line-up of speakers including Alice Almeida (Head of Research, Data, & Insights, Totally Awesome), Joan Westenberg (Adviser, MODA DAO), Nico King (Executive Creative Director, Chaos Theory Games) and Harry Kaloyirou (Product Director, DEPT®).
“We are very excited to partner with SXSW Sydney to launch DEPT® Garden House, a vibrant space for industry friends to connect and learn,” comments Eva Kane, Head of Marketing APAC.
SXSW Sydney is “without a doubt the most anticipated event of the year and our partnership is also a way of celebrating not only the successes of DEPT® Australia but also the wider industry.”
DEPT® has facilitated end-to-end digital experiences for such brands as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay, and more, and boasts more than 4,000 employees across its global network of affiliates.
The business “continues to invest in its Australian presence,” reps say, and recently united its local teams under one brand.
SXSW Sydney 2023 attendees will be able to access DEPT® Garden House by signing up for a wristband on the DEPT® microsite. Read more here.
A collaboration of TEG, The NSW Government & Destination NSW, SXSW Sydney will take place Oct. 15-22, marking its first foray outside of Austin, Texas. The Lone Star State has hosted the annual exploration of music, screen, gaming, technology, and innovation every March since 1987.
