I’m surprised by the footnote of a 60% drop in online conversation - I certainly saw an increase in in-person activations and interactions.  Is the event back-channel over, or just not optimized this year?

SXSW Interactive wrapped up Tuesday evening, and although many will remain in Austin while the music portion of the festival gets underway, for many in the digital industry, it’s time to wave goodbye for this year. Meltwater analyzed the social buzz surrounding the final day of SXSW Interactiv…

In a piece written by Mashable editor-in-chief Adam Ostrow on Forbes.com, Ostrow highlights a growing trend of brands using live online video content to build relationships with their audiences:

Late last year live video events broadcast over the Internet started putting up TV-like viewership numbers: 10 million for a U2 concert, 3 million for the red carpet premiere of a Twilight sequel, and more than 250,000 for a screening of a film from hip hop mogul 50 Cent.

Not surprisingly, it wasn’t long before big brands started to take notice. But rather than simply inject advertising into live video the way one might with a television show, an increasing number of advertisers have started using the medium, using platforms like Ustream, Livestream and Justin.tv to produce compelling content and engage consumers.

One brand leading the charge is Gatorade, which is known for its iconic ads featuring some of the world’s largest sports stars. Live video has presented an opportunity to bring those athletes closer to fans than most of them have likely ever been, while at the same time reinforcing some of the brand’s core marketing messages

Ostrow continues,

….access to unique experiences not easily available in-person is what is making live video work at Gatorade as well as other major consumer brands. High-end fashion designer Burberry recently live streamed a men’s fashion show on its website, allowing users to actually click items onscreen, add them to a shopping cart-like application, and later purchase them if they so chose. (Jumping back to Ustream, the company has also seen brands like Marshall’s, Coors Light, Pacific Sunwear and Elextrolux use its platform for live video events.)

Engagement will only increase with other trends emerging in the broader tech world. With live video moving from the desktop to mobile (Ustream and its competitors all offer apps on most major platforms) and Internet-connected televisions, expect the numbers to continue to swing upwards, creating further opportunity for brands to become creators of content and experiences that their customers will enthusiastically share with others.

To read the full article, follow the link!