Why some of the major brands have skipped SXSW this year

March 10th was the start of the 31st edition of SXSW in Austin, a festival that has mastered bridging together the worlds of tech, film and music. Its humble beginnings started with staffers at The Austin Chronicle and a name that was inspired by Hitchcock’s movie, “North By Northwest.” Today, the festival boasts around 30,000 registrants and artist wristbands, helping boost the local economy north of a healthy $300m. The attendee count is misleading, as I am one of thousands w