Now that the dust has settled on SXSW 2025 we sat down with Nikki O’Brien, SVP of Account Services at MAS, who attended the festival and explored the various brand activations. With her deep industry knowledge and on-the-ground perspective, Nikki breaks down what worked, what surprised her, and what brands should take note of for the future. Spoiler alert: sometimes the simplest approach to an experience creates the biggest impact. From product-first experiences to multi-sensory builds and AI’s evolving role, here are Nikki’s five bold takeaways from the week:

1. Simplicity > Spectacle

The most impactful activations weren’t the grandest—they were the most intentional.

Simple, effective, easy experiential marketing is where it's at. We're kind of circling back to our roots.

From McDonald's low-key coffee and gift card handouts to Olive & June’s intimate nail truck experience, stripped-down concepts stood out by hitting the fundamentals flawlessly.

As an agency, sometimes we think something needs massive scale for impact, but that's not always the case.

2. AI is No Longer the Boogeyman

The tone around AI has shifted from fear to familiarity.

I feel like we've segued heavily from past years where people were terrified of AI... People are becoming less afraid of it, so at SXSW there was a very common theme of AI and creativity working TOGETHER, not in competition.

Rather than sounding alarms, panels this year focused on AI as a tool for exploration and expression.

3. Experience is a Sensory Game

The most memorable brand moments engaged multiple senses—especially in a city like Austin, where sound, taste, and atmosphere are part of the culture.

I saw a lot of brands leaning into sensorial experiences. Music is huge in Austin, so a lot of people used music regardless of product. Yeti had a music showcase, JBL had a DJ. But some brands also integrated smell and taste and other senses, so you could get more of a multi-sensorial approach, which I thought was great—again, so long as it was really streamlined and helped make the connection to the brand.

From live DJ sets to immersive scent moments, brands that tapped into sensory memory created deeper emotional resonance with their audiences.

4. You Don’t Need a Venue to Make a Statement

Rivian had one parking lot, a few dirt mounds, and total brand clarity.

They took over a parking lot and built these huge dirt mounds to show how Rivian handles different terrain.

It felt the most powerful out of all the experiences... You're in the car with other people, having this great conversation, learning about the car and its features, and seeing how it handles. It was dynamic.

With less than five minutes per test drive, Rivian created an immersive, high-impact moment that aligned perfectly with its audience.

5. Women Are Shaping the Future of Gaming

At SXSW, the gaming track stood out—not just for the content, but for the people in the room. Panels and meetups were packed with energy and filled with women leading the charge across the industry.

Gaming is so unique because it's been going strong since the 80s, so it was super inspiring to see the number of women in gaming that turned up... Seeing so many female developers, publishers, and gamers come together to share their passion for the industry was incredible and empowering.

The conversation wasn’t about making space for women in gaming—it was about recognizing the space they already hold.

Nikki’s biggest takeaway? Impact doesn’t have to be complex. The brands that led with clarity, focused on experience, and understood their audience were the ones that left a mark.