April 1, 2025
If you missed SXSW 2025, don’t worry—the Bazaarvoice team has got you covered! This was only the second year that SXSW had a creator economy track, but discussions around social and creators took center stage (so you know our social team HAD to be there).
This year’s sessions were packed with big ideas, unexpected moments, and a whole lot of talk about how social media and the creator economy are reshaping everything we know about marketing, branding, and content. With various brands such as Duolingo, Liquid Death, L’Oréal, and e.l.f Cosmetics speaking about their social and creator strategies — we were all ears.
So…what was covered?
B2B LinkedIn influencers: You know what we’re talking about
There were many standout sessions from SXSW about B2B LinkedIn influencers and the evolving landscape of the creator economy in the B2B space. Connecting to businesses isn’t just about corporate jargon anymore. It’s about finding creators who are talking to decision-makers, not just consumers. In the past, LinkedIn was not a social platform that was often involved in conversations about social strategy. But now—it’s taking on the creator economy in its very own way.
And what’s the best way to use these creators? HubSpot’s Head of Influencer Marketing dropped a major truth bomb in one of her sessions: 90% of their B2B creator contracts are long-term. This allows brands and, most importantly, their audiences to build deep, authentic relationships with creators. It’s not about budgeting for a 30-second TV spot anymore. It’s all about cultivating trust and credibility over time with creators.
‘Entertain or Die’: Taking risks in marketing
Alright, let’s talk about taking risks. Because let’s be real: if you’re playing it safe in social media these days, you’re already falling behind. In the ‘Entertain or Die’ session, marketers and creators discussed how the lines between advertising and entertainment have totally blurred.
Case in point: Liquid Death invited people who left negative reviews to LA for a very unusual challenge. If they could identify Liquid Death from a lineup of water, they won $1,000. If not? Well, they got tased. This was also proof that both negative and positive reviews are useful (not only for consumer decisions but for fun social content right?!). You can watch the video here.
Liquid Death’s boldness is a reminder that being too cautious in your campaigns could be the riskiest move of all. Brands that can lean into humor, authenticity, and a little bit of chaos are the ones that are truly breaking through on social.
L’Oréal CMO Han Wen speaks on the power of social media
Here’s something to ponder: your next marketing brief might just be hiding in your social media comments. L’Oréal CMO Han Wen spoke about how social media is a powerful tool that connects you directly to your consumers. If you’re not reading your comments and doing some social listening, you’re missing out on the answers to many questions you might be asking in your everyday meetings.
Another way to use the power of social media: look at how creator content is performing and what people are saying about creators’ posts about your brand. Some consumers may feel more connected to creators and trust leaving real feedback more often. Once again, it proves the power of creator marketing and the authenticity it creates for your brand.
YouTube: The creator’s playground
Let’s not forget about YouTube, which continues to be the heavy hitter in the creator economy. YouTube is redefining what it means to be a creator, and at SXSW, they hosted activations that promoted YouTube Shorts as a leading format for creators to share their stories in fresh, engaging ways. As media mogul Evan Shapiro and Jon Penn from NRG explored, platforms like YouTube are becoming the new studios, and creators are the new stars. Traditional entertainment is evolving, and brands need to make sure they are changing with the landscape.
The future of storytelling? It’s shorter, snappier, and all about trust — and YouTube creators are the ones leading that charge.
Bazaarvoice’s SXSW Session: Bazaarvoice and e.l.f. Cosmetics
Bazaarvoice’s Sam Saez held a session at SXSW and shared some fun insights into our partnership with e.l.f. Cosmetics and the power of authentic content. Bazaarvoice social media manager Kaylin Balderrama sat down with Sam to chat more about the session.
Kaylin: Tell me about your role at Bazaarvoice
Sam: I lead our Enterprise Sales team. This means I partner with the best brands in the world to help them leverage user-generated content. It’s an awesome job.
Kaylin: Why was it important for Bazaarvoice to be at SXSW 2025?
Sam: Austin is our hometown, and SXSW is the largest industry event in Austin all year — no way could we miss it! The creator economy also took center stage at SXSW this year.
Kaylin: During SXSW, you moderated a powerful conversation with Patrick O’Keefe from e.l.f. Cosmetics. What key takeaways stood out to you regarding how brands can authentically align their values with social impact?
Sam: It was e.l.f.i.n.g amazing! My top takeaways:
e.l.f. has a concept called “beauty deserts” that they use when they are looking for sponsorship opportunities. Think places that are full of women and girls but no other brand is speaking to this audience. This concept of “beauty deserts” is so authentic to the e.l.f. brand, because e.l.f. is for every eye, lip, and face — this mission shines through when they show up and help women feel seen in communities where other brands aren’t taking the time to engage them.
All brands say they listen to their customers, e.l.f. really listens. Pat shared how Kory Marchisotto is known for reading comment sections on social content – love this hands-on approach! Social listening tools that aggregate data for you are great, but if you are using these aggregators instead of actually absorbing the words of your customer base, you might be doing more distancing than listening.
Kaylin: In your discussion, the idea of embracing diversity was highlighted as a key factor in creating lasting connections with consumers. Can you elaborate on how brands can successfully connect with diverse audiences?
Sam: I was amazed at how many of their top partnerships started as dinner conversations! For example, Pat’s story is about how a friend connects them with Billie Jean King. In a world where we think of most influencer partnerships as being formed by a team pouring through social media data, it was cool that they empower their people to find and act on the inspiration that comes from everyday interactions.
It was also cool to hear Pat say that Bazaarvoice is important in e.l.f.’s Gen Z strategy! We partner with their team to get products into the hands of socially savvy consumers to review and post their e.l.f. love on social media. Their campaigns are always some of my favorites because people LOVE e.l.f., and the content these fans produce is awesome.
That’s a wrap!
SXSW 2025 was an explosion of creative energy, where the future of social media and the creator economy was front and center. From B2B influencers on LinkedIn to Liquid Death’s outrageous stunts, it’s clear that taking risks, being authentic, and focusing on long-term relationships are the keys to standing out. As the lines between entertainment and advertising continue to blur, the message is simple: Be bold, be real, and always keep your audience in mind.
And hey, if all else fails, maybe just tase your consumers who leave a bad review like Liquid Death did!
