Hashable at SXSW |
The SXSW come-ons and event invitations are rapidly proliferating in my email box as the Texas-sized geek-fest fast approaches. Since this is essentially a PR blog, and I am in essence a PR person, I am in the PRculiar position to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the various pitches.
One rather lengthy and somewhat confusing pitch for “a new venture backed mobile social media platform” invited me to download the app and meet its developers at one of the hundreds of social events planned for the week.
Foursquare at SXSW |
First, I’m pretty certain I do not need another mobile social app. And second, it’s becoming increasingly apparent to me that I am about to enjoy second-class mobile citizen status at SXSW given that virtually every cool mobile app enhancement — from Hashable to Foursquare 3.0 — has left behind my Blackberry OS in favor of Apple iOS and Google Droid. (Glad to see GroupMe‘s BB app.)
While this latest PR pitch didn’t indicate which mobile platform the app would work on, I wrote back (out of PR empathy) to say I use a BB, which elicted this:
“Thanks so much Peter for getting back to me—bummer! But the app is currently in development for Blackberry and other platforms. If you have an iPod Touch or iPad the app will work on that as well.”
I don’t….yet.
I was kind of glad to see one of my former agencies so enmeshed in SXSW this year — at least judging from the number of PR pitches emanating from its domain. All aspired to publicly elevate their clients’ wares above the messy din of Austin. While their wares weren’t a good editorial fit for this PR-driven space, I was intrigued by the fact that so many came from a single agency, i.e.,
- A chance to see Liz Phair and her freecreditscore band
- An invite to see Kid Rock at the Jim Beam Live Music Scene
- An overture to grab a midnight snack at the Blackberry Playbook
- A free ride from the airport via the GoHow Airport Travel App (for iPhone and BB!)
It’s funny how so many pitches are coming in just days before the start of SXSW Interactive. WagEd just sent along a pitch (showing every recipient in the To: section) for its own HotSpots@SXSW free app that “cracks the social code of what’s really hot and happening at South by Southwest” through a new (FREE) app for Windows Phone 7 & iOS. BUT I HAVE A BLACKBERRY!
Sunshine & Sachs’s pitch just arrived (under the bell) with a single email round-up of its clients in Austin. Among them: Purpose.com, Radical.media, Mekanism, Blip.TV, LearnVest.com, Lonely Planet, Mark Ecko…
Anyway, I’ll be posting and tweeting (@peterhimler) about SXSW from a purely PR prism over the weekend and into early next week. Stay tuned.