Zedric's Blog

Looking back on my time in Austin, it’s perplexing how much I experienced in just 4 days. I must admit, the bar was set pretty high. Leading up to my trip, I came across blog after blog ranting and raving about the conference. Friends obliged me with eloquent anecdotes about their amazing time at SxSW. I believed the hype, but the pessimist in me asked – will my experience be in line with everyone else? I’m ecstatic because I now have my own story to tell – at it’s a good one.

Earlier I posted about the value of music, television, and online synergy. In retrospect, I failed to capture all sides of the story. Among the brands, musicians, and internet entrepreneurs are of course, the ad men (and women). I neglected to represent the role of the advertising executive. Luckily, the “This Note’s For You” panel [...]

SxSW is all about “the next big thing”. Who will be the future buzz band, or website, or movie director? At the “How Will We Listen to Music in 2020?” discussion, the panelists described what was in their crystal ball.
The “star” of the panel was without question Alexander Ljung, co-founder of SoundCloud.com. According to Mr. [...]

City: Durham, North Carolina
Members: Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons, Justin Robinson
Instruments: fiddle, banjo, jug, fyfe, kazoo, bones, guitar, snare drum
I feel giddy right now courtesy of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. This three-piece band from North Carolina just put on one of the most dazzling performances I’ve ever seen. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve [...]

My first panel of the day got things off to a phenomenal start. With all the different mediums available, collaboration is a must. “The Convergence of Music on TV and Online” involved spirited panelists from all industries, and their words and advice were energizing, and should be heeded. The introductory question: How do you reach millions [...]

In a few days, yours truly will embark on a great journey. I’ve got a full tank of gas, bags (somewhat) packed, and a road trip playlist that’s had more lineup changes than Spinal Tap. My fingers are ready to tweet and the Foursquare account is clamoring for badges. The PepsiCo coverage of SxSW thus [...]

For those that don’t know me, I’m a native Texan, grew up in Garland. I received my BS in Business Management from Barry University in Miami Shores, FL. I moved back to Dallas in 2005, and was hired by PepsiCo in January of 2007. There are many opportunities available when you work for a global company, and I continue to discover new things everyday at Pepsi (some on purpose, some by accident). Here’s a quick synopsis of how I ended up participating in this “social experiment”: