I spent the week at SXSW London, the first European edition of the iconic festival and conference. It felt like something genuinely new was taking root and London showed it can host a global creative and tech gathering with real substance, energy, and edge.
What set the week apart was the very real convergence of culture, innovation, and commerce. AI dominated the conversation, not just as a tool, but increasingly as a co-creator. Whether in music, marketing, or visual storytelling, it was framed less as a threat and more as a creative partner (for now), opening up new avenues of thought and making. From songwriting to campaign development, AI is already shaping the creative process in meaningful ways.
Meanwhile, brands didn’t just sponsor, they contributed. Corporates shaped some great panels and shared perspectives that felt relevant and grounded.
Visual storytelling has become a primary language for how brands engage, but the bar is rising. Cultural relevance and creative precision have become central to brand communications. Diageo, for example, spoke about using AI to generate over 3,000 hyper-localised pieces of content a year. That kind of scale changes the game – challenging for traditional filmmakers, yes, but it also creates space for higher-quality, more strategic work to stand out. What’s also clear is that brands are now working with culture, not just reflecting it. Influencers, creators, and communities are becoming genuine partners, not just for distribution, but as co-authors of narrative, meaning, and momentum. Unilever and Diageo both shared compelling insights on how they’re embracing bold visuals and design systems, and making space for others to use them too. Unilever, in particular, made a strong case for strategy grounded in trust and authenticity.
Alongside tech and business, the festival didn’t shy away from cultural depth, from music performances and film premieres to thoughtful sessions on identity, ethics, and inclusion. It felt like a space where London’s creative complexity was being channelled into something forward-looking.
Of course, it wasn’t flawless. Access and queues were an issue, and some venues need refining, but for a first outing, SXSW London showed promise. More importantly, it reminded me that real energy happens at the collision points where creativity, technology, business, and culture intersect. And London, with all its grit, diversity, and creative tension, is the perfect place for it.