SXSW 2025: Facing discomfort is the biggest challenge for brands in the content era

By Maira Genovese, Founder & CEO.

The agenda for this year’s SXSW brought a common thread through the panels: the content-driven era we live in. Beyond technical aspects and trends, this edition focuses much more on the impact of an era that has shaped a lifestyle centered around engagement. As information and messages spread at an increasingly rapid pace, equally unprecedented challenges emerge, with consequences at various levels. Discussing innovation merely through the lens of new paths and opportunities is no longer enough.

This message became clear in the first days in Austin. Many sessions highlighted the urgent consequences of digital advancements, particularly in relation to the so-called loneliness epidemic. This phenomenon, which intensified during the pandemic, is now fueled by the power of algorithms – leading us into an involuntary immersion in any topic we show even the slightest interest in, creating information bubbles that silently shape our critical thinking. More than that, hyperconnectivity fosters a lack of human and authentic interactions, reinforcing isolation and mental health issues across multiple generations – especially Gen Z and Alpha – alongside emerging AI applications.

On the other side of the screen, tech companies continue to fall short in creating systems and policies that contribute to a less harmful digital age. Beyond privacy concerns, issues such as content dissemination and regulation remain unresolved, with some even regressing – solidifying an alarming outlook for the future. In several moments of resistance throughout the festival, speakers were unafraid to take bold stances, emphasising that we have reached a point where social, cultural, and even biological impacts of this era can no longer be ignored.

It’s time for brands to start having difficult conversations.

In this context, brands face a major challenge ahead: confronting difficult conversations. As the primary revenue drivers behind digital platforms and active players in content production that keeps users connected, brands are increasingly recognised as key agents in shaping this landscape. The expectation is that purpose-driven messaging will need to align more closely with concrete actions. Engagement and visibility will become more value-based, significantly influencing editorial strategies. Today’s consumers are becoming more vigilant, demanding authenticity, clear stances, and meaningful education from the brands they interact with.

In one of the most anticipated SXSW sessions, futurist Amy Webb highlighted that we are entering “The Beyond” era, where technologies are merging and creating unprecedented challenges. In her talk, Webb didn’t just speak about discomfort – she made the audience feel it, literally, by having participants sit on small blocks for the entire session. Her message about our lack of planning for this new era and our reluctance to embrace discomfort sent a strong signal to brands as well.

Additionally, rethinking content reach has become an urgent issue. Global political and economic shifts are revealing a new consumer mindset – one that is more skeptical of empty, irresponsible, and ineffective messaging. Marketing strategies need to focus on helping brands break out of their existing bubbles rather than continuing to speak to the same audiences, leveraging new channels and innovative formats.

We would then be witnessing the beginning of a shift in the very concept of community as we know it – one that could once again transform the entire ecosystem and redirect engagement efforts. Could this be the next major challenge for brands?