South by Southwest, Austin, Texas’ annual conference on music, film, and interactive technology, routinely draws 70,000 participants and registrants to the Lone Star State each March. What started as a music festival has turned into an event that companies use to exhibit emerging technology and new ideas.

Brands and corporations that make the right impressions on consumers at SxSW earn credibility and attention that would be far more difficult to achieve through traditional marketing efforts. In previous years, companies have done everything from giving attendees $50 in exchange for yams, to building a six-story, Tweet-powered vending machine around a concert stage.