SXSW is more than just live music and the best breakfast burrito you’ve ever had. Every year, tech geniuses, musicians, brands, foodies, media mavens, and more make the trip to Austin, TX. The conference is a place for leaders and experts across different industries to talk about the hot topics of the moment. That’s where the SXSW Panel Picker (and you!) comes into play.
We need your help voting for panels featuring Refinery29 to be at SXSW 2017. Anyone can submit a session and the conference agenda is selected by public vote. You have until September 2 to cast your vote — but why wait? Take 5 minutes and vote now.
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Here’s how to vote: 1) Click here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote. 2) Set up an account (we promise, they won’t spam you). 3) Search "Refinery29." 4) Give us a thumbs up to vote for each panel! A full breakdown of our 2017 submissions:
Smart People Doing Big Things
Why Is It Not Okay For Women To Like Money? Why isn't it okay for women to earn big paychecks, and why do we still feel weird about it in 2016? Hear directly from Sallie Krawcheck and Jean Chatzky about the issues around women and money, from feeling comfortable asking for more, to questioning our worth, and the awkwardness some women feel about making more than their partners. Courageous Creativity: A Brand Rooted in Dreaming Some people are just born with it in their blood — creativity. But how do you sustain a childlike wonder and exuberant creativity as you grow a multi-million dollar global business? Refinery29’s fearless visionary Piera Gelardi shares her lessons and inspirations. My Body Is Not Safe For Work Body positivity continues to grow as a vital topic of discussion in the media, but has anything really changed? Plus-size supermodel Tess Holliday will join us to discuss why plus-size bodies are still controversial on the internet, which is where we live our lives. How Pop Culture Works
Searching For The Perfect Formula — & Why We Never Truly Find It The world is obsessed with formulas: The innovation formula. The foolproof recipe. The secret, step-by-step checklist for success. But more often than not, formulas need an extra something to really work — and what that extra ingredient is can be hard to pin down. Formula masters like Dominique Ansel (recipes) and Skylar Grey (songwriting) will discuss their process. The Empathy Lab: The Intersection Of Technology, Storytelling & Culture How do we harness the power of empathy through technology and storytelling? This will touch on the ways in which the empathy gap affects our culture at large across government, education, gender, and entertainment. Spoonful of Sugar: Is Celebrity Culture Positive? Why do celebrities need activism, and why do activists need celebrities? Can celebrity culture really be used for good? Should it? This panel will explore the role (positive and negative) that celebrity culture has had on social movements. The Female Dilemma: They're Talking About Us, But Are They Doing Anything About It? Everyone is talking about gender parity in Hollywood this year, but is anyone actually trying to create tangible solutions? Refinery29’s Amy Emmerich joins like-minded industry leaders, such as Tiffany Shlain, to discuss how we can really move the needle. Selfies: Revisited This panel will explore the now-antiquated term “selfie” to understand it anew as a vehicle for revolution within the fashion and beauty spaces. The selfie's presence across platforms, and particularly on Instagram, supports self-promotion and exposure for people with wholly original and uniquely curated looks. Hear directly from Instagram and Muse Model Management on how brands are using this media to connect with a wider variety of consumers, more directly than ever before. WTF Is The Internet?
Voice: The Invisible UI Nobody Speaks About As brands progress off dot com and onto other user-interface platforms, such as social networks, physical objects, and AI conversations, there is one element that's constantly being used, but is hardly ever spoken about: voice. Is It 1995 Again? A few years ago, no one thought that we'd be back to discussing how important email, SEO, and homepage strategy are for the growth of media brands. However, some of the most thriving companies in the industry are actively putting their focus and resources behind these channels again.
Why Is It Not Okay For Women To Like Money? Why isn't it okay for women to earn big paychecks, and why do we still feel weird about it in 2016? Hear directly from Sallie Krawcheck and Jean Chatzky about the issues around women and money, from feeling comfortable asking for more, to questioning our worth, and the awkwardness some women feel about making more than their partners. Courageous Creativity: A Brand Rooted in Dreaming Some people are just born with it in their blood — creativity. But how do you sustain a childlike wonder and exuberant creativity as you grow a multi-million dollar global business? Refinery29’s fearless visionary Piera Gelardi shares her lessons and inspirations. My Body Is Not Safe For Work Body positivity continues to grow as a vital topic of discussion in the media, but has anything really changed? Plus-size supermodel Tess Holliday will join us to discuss why plus-size bodies are still controversial on the internet, which is where we live our lives. How Pop Culture Works
Searching For The Perfect Formula — & Why We Never Truly Find It The world is obsessed with formulas: The innovation formula. The foolproof recipe. The secret, step-by-step checklist for success. But more often than not, formulas need an extra something to really work — and what that extra ingredient is can be hard to pin down. Formula masters like Dominique Ansel (recipes) and Skylar Grey (songwriting) will discuss their process. The Empathy Lab: The Intersection Of Technology, Storytelling & Culture How do we harness the power of empathy through technology and storytelling? This will touch on the ways in which the empathy gap affects our culture at large across government, education, gender, and entertainment. Spoonful of Sugar: Is Celebrity Culture Positive? Why do celebrities need activism, and why do activists need celebrities? Can celebrity culture really be used for good? Should it? This panel will explore the role (positive and negative) that celebrity culture has had on social movements. The Female Dilemma: They're Talking About Us, But Are They Doing Anything About It? Everyone is talking about gender parity in Hollywood this year, but is anyone actually trying to create tangible solutions? Refinery29’s Amy Emmerich joins like-minded industry leaders, such as Tiffany Shlain, to discuss how we can really move the needle. Selfies: Revisited This panel will explore the now-antiquated term “selfie” to understand it anew as a vehicle for revolution within the fashion and beauty spaces. The selfie's presence across platforms, and particularly on Instagram, supports self-promotion and exposure for people with wholly original and uniquely curated looks. Hear directly from Instagram and Muse Model Management on how brands are using this media to connect with a wider variety of consumers, more directly than ever before. WTF Is The Internet?
Voice: The Invisible UI Nobody Speaks About As brands progress off dot com and onto other user-interface platforms, such as social networks, physical objects, and AI conversations, there is one element that's constantly being used, but is hardly ever spoken about: voice. Is It 1995 Again? A few years ago, no one thought that we'd be back to discussing how important email, SEO, and homepage strategy are for the growth of media brands. However, some of the most thriving companies in the industry are actively putting their focus and resources behind these channels again.
The Media Industry
The Future Of The Agency
Publisher, platform, agency — the lines are blurring as companies scramble for brands’ marketing dollars. This panel will explore the evolving marketing landscape as media agencies grow creative capabilities, publishers become advertisers, and platforms exercise their ever-increasing power.
The Future Of The Agency
Publisher, platform, agency — the lines are blurring as companies scramble for brands’ marketing dollars. This panel will explore the evolving marketing landscape as media agencies grow creative capabilities, publishers become advertisers, and platforms exercise their ever-increasing power.
We’re All The Same (But Pretend Not To Be)
Refinery29 is now in the U.S., U.K., and Germany — and contrary to what may be implied by society, consumers around the world aren’t necessarily that different. All people have the same basic needs and emotions. What differs greatly are the strategies in how to reach these consumers across the globe.
How New Media Is Redefining Luxury
The millennial generation continues to shape and inform the future of all disciplines and industries — and brands need to evolve with them. Some of our favorite brands, Levi’s and Zady, will join our global EIC Christene Barberich to discuss how this consumer will view and embrace luxury in an unpredictable social, political, and economic climate.
How Media Companies Tackle Taboo Topics, & the Meaning Of Taboo In A Digital World
In today's media landscape, race, politics, nudity, and sex work are discussed more openly than ever before. At the same time, platforms and publishers have to cover these issues in a thoughtful, non-triggering way — all while navigating comment moderation. Alongside RIOT and 2 Dope Queens’ Phoebe Robinson, and a Teen Vogue editor, we’ll discuss how to define the new taboo.