SXSW’s first foray into London brought together some of the most ambitious minds across marketing, technology, culture and beyond. As well as presenting a talk at BIMA House (a fringe event masterminded by our friends at BIMA), we sent some of our own to scope out the event — Jack Clough (Head of Growth), Sophia Charters (Client Partner), James Scott-Flanagan (Head of Consulting), and Martin Bui (Experience Director). Their mission? To soak up the talks and trends, and report back on what businesses need to know.

Amidst the usual AI buzz and some bold predictions, it was human nuance, cultural intelligence and purposeful design that stood out. Here is a summary of their key takeaways.

1. Community is not a buzzword, it’s the blueprint

From speakers representing Reddit to Huel to Monzo to Guinness, one message rang loud: real communities drive real value.

• Reddit reframed the marketing funnel entirely, focusing on the 1% of users who create content and shape culture. Build for them, and the rest follow.
• Huel showed how a brand can be treated like SaaS: co-created, community-driven, and iteratively improved.
• Monzo’s 40,000-strong user community isn’t just engaged, they shape the product roadmap in real time.

But there’s a warning: don’t manufacture community for optics. Attempts to create a ‘community’ solely for exploitation will fall flat. Cultural capital is earned, not engineered.

2. Scale without losing soul

Growing up doesn’t mean selling out… if it’s done right!

Huel’s metaphor stood out across multiple sessions: from startup “speedboat” to corporate “oil tanker”, the answer lies somewhere in between. They call it the “fast ferry”. Scaling with purpose means avoiding bureaucratic bloat while retaining the nimbleness that sparked success in the first place.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Monzo, who operate with modern efficiency thanks to not being burdened by legacy systems. The result? Outspending traditional banks 20:1 in tech advantage.

3. AI’s future is human (well, it should be!)

AI dominated the programme, but the smartest voices reminded us: innovation without humanity is a dead end. Our team’s learnings include:

• Beware the danger of AI’s “ghost voices” which, for those unfamiliar, means creativity built on unconsented labour, leading to economic inequality and the erosion of artist rights.
• AI isn’t the story! In fact, it’s a subplot. A tool, not the destination.
• GenUI, a new wave of adaptive interfaces, promises hyper-personalised UX — but only if designed with trust and ethics baked in. This is pulled out in more detail in our FutureCX series, where GenUI is put under the lens.

The consensus? The winners won’t be those who scale fastest with AI, but those who apply it most meaningfully. This insight was particularly interesting for us, as it’s a sentiment that’s echoed across our AI Diaries series – where experts from brands like Schneider Electric and Lenovo shared their perspectives on all things AI.

 

4. Power, purpose, and speaking up

Some of the most powerful moments at this year’s SXSW London came from outside the business world.

Talks from Zelda Perkins and Stefanie Sword-Williams were sobering, galvanising reminders of how power operates and, quite frankly, how important it can be to push back.

• Perkins exposed the systemic silencing of victims through NDAs, still rife in corporate structures.
• Sword-Williams’ “F*ck Being Humble” made a compelling case for unapologetic self-advocacy, especially among underrepresented voices.
• A session on parenting myths broke taboos around guilt and gender, challenging outdated expectations in work and life.

Leadership now means accountability, voice, and courage… not just strategy.

 

5. Designing the retail of tomorrow

Shopping, as we know it, is being reimagined.

One standout session posed the question: if AI can predict and fulfil our needs, what becomes of the weekly shop? The answer: inspiration, discovery, experience. Less stock, more story. Retail spaces as cultural playgrounds, not transactional corridors. Is that brave new world one you can imagine?

Well, you don’t have to! That shift is already happening. From Diageo’s brand storytelling to Lego and F1’s immersive partnerships, brands are thinking beyond shelves and screens to build emotional resonance over hard conversion.

Could this be the future of retail? And what will this then mean for the world of digital?

6. Culture before code

Whether it was Williams F1 talking team dynamics, or Dame Jane Goodall’s reminder that innovation has no age, the most lasting message of the week was simple: your culture is your competitive edge. Our learnings include:

• Most of the time, brands should base everything on customer insights. When the time is right, however, don’t be afraid to buck the trend and lead.
• People and culture come before infrastructure. Every time.

In a tech-saturated world, empathy, clarity and creativity are the true differentiators. Tools will change, but values scale.

Our final word…

SXSW London made one thing clear: while AI and automation are inevitable, the businesses that thrive will be those that lead with humanity, design with purpose, and build for real communities. As ever, it’s not about what’s trending, it’s about what truly matters.

If you picked up any valuable insight during your time at SXSW London, or want to discuss any of the above, feel free to reach out!