The brand couldn’t activate the experience anywhere. In order to maximize buzz for American Greetings, it would have to be a context that would feel disruptive. The brand took their love for real, tangible, authentic connections to the world’s biggest digital festival in Austin, Texas ?SXSW Interactive ? and flipped it by taking every touchpoint back to its original pre-digital art form.

The experience was at a location within the SXSW footprint with this simple provocation:

Somewhere along the way, in the race to get ahead, we lost something important. Let’s go back and find it. Let’s get back to making real connections with ourselves and those who matter most.

The experience was called “Analog by American Greetings.” For three days, the brand took the most well-known digital habits, including selfies, GIFs and texts, and converted them into more rewarding, interesting, longer-lasting and human activities for attendees.

The choreographed three-day pop-up activation duing the Interactive portion of the festival included a mix of engaging talks hosted by talent and hands-on workshops led by creative talent from American Greetings and artists to educate, entertain and enrich each attendee’s experience.

Activities within the space were analog versions of everyday behaviors including:

• On-demand stitched selfies by an on-site textile artist

• Hand-cranked animated GIFs

• A vinyl listening station

• A digital-to0-polaroid converter station

• An interactive coloring wall and live mural created on wall constructed of 500+ greeting cards

• Letter and card-writing stations with typewriters, and our very own post office

“Analog by American Greetings” proved to be an unexpected and much appreciated reprieve for digital-obsessed attendees.

Increased perception of American Greetings as “modern” and “differentiated.”

• Across three days we hosted over 4,000 visitors who each spent an average of 25 minutes in the space

• After visiting the event, 92% of people said that their impression of AG had changed in a positive way (0% said it changed in a negative way).

Increased consideration of the value of nondigital communications including cards.

• 97% of people said that after visiting this event, they planned to make an analog connection.3

• Over 2,000 cards were given away and 1,250 cards mailed.

Gained momentum and drove awareness with positive press coverage generating more than 138 Million media impressions in top tier outlets including USA Today, Forbes, FastCo Create, Adweek, The Guardian, PR Week, CNBC, and Digiday. Additionall, Analog by American Greetings was named “Top 5 Brand Event at SXSW” by Adweek and CNBC.

How does a 110-year-old paper card company win at SXSW Interactive 2016?

Through a real insight, guts and a well-conceived event/brand experience that landed in the top-five experiences reported by national media.

Today, our culture has more ways than ever to connect. Yet there’s still a desire for tangible and authentic forms of expression, including communication, music and art. Our unexpected analog experience tapped into this paradox at one of the largest digital festivals and national press highlighted how analog forms of communication still matter.

Targeted the “influential digerati” at SXSW Interactive: industry experts, innovators, digital creatives, analog devotees, digital press and everyday consumers who cherish the value and importance of making meaningful connections.

Seeded top media and influencers with carefully designed press kits that included a pop-up card replicating our space, a program guide and an invitation to our VIP party.

Hosted top media for an authentic, intimate experience where DJ Questlove spun vinyl records for the first time to introduce them to Analog.

Aligned with SXSW Interactive as an official sponsor to increase attendee awareness and gain credibility as a first-time activator.

Enlisted talent and experts from various verticals, including designers Stefan Sagmeister and Aaron Draplin, artists Sougwen Chung and Shantell Martin, journalists Rob Walker and David Sax, TV host and humorist David Rees, independent record store owner John Kunz and Artists Kelsey Montague and Michael-Birch Pierce to engage with media.

Situation

The paper greeting card category showed signs of softening after decades of growth. HBD, I<3U texts and Facebook posts became the way to show someone affection.

American Greetings saw opportunity and leaned into trends like the vinyl resurgence and the rise of adult coloring books to prove Americans yearned for authentic forms of expression and communication. Digital can’t solve everything.

Brief

Remind people of the value of meaningful connections that you can touch and feel.

Objectives

Design an experience that provokes momentum for American Greetings and its mission: “make the world a more thoughtful and caring place”. Increase perception of American Greetings as “modern” and “differentiated.” Increase consideration of non-digital communications, including cards.