SXSW attendees wait outside a building designed to promote Tide products. GIF: Hope King/Axios
Standing in line may be the most popular activity at SXSW, Hope writes from the annual film, music, tech and media conference in Austin, Texas.
Why it matters: Despite perennial debate over its relevance, the crowds I've seen this year (albeit my first) indicate that there are still many who love to attend.
Behind the scenes: A long line for Tide's experiential marketing events, which were open to the public, was the first one I spotted on Saturday.
Based on social media posts, it appears the brand gave away samples of its new Evo detergent — as well as free food and drinks.
Reality check: Longtime attendees told me, however, that the conference is about half the size that it was a decade ago.
That's also when SXSW was a popular time for apps like Twitter, Foursquare and Meerkat to launch... detergents, not so much.
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