How does one begin to process twenty plus sessions plus a book full of notes from South by Southwest Interactive? My choice, a word cloud, which gives greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in source text (a.k.a. session notes). A pretty accurate visual hierarchy of thoughts.
As you can see from the prominent words, the sessions that I attended focused primarily on online brand communities, customer relations and a broad range of social media/mobile topics. (whew, glad it skipped all of the “I heart Conan” doodles).
It’s a fantastic mix-up of words to describe elements of my role here at CM as well as areas that we’re always looking to knock out of the park for our clients, too.
Is Advertising on TikTok Worth It?
For the past few years, advertisers have been asking the same question about TikTok: Is it worth it?
Given changing trends, growing competition and considerable uncertainty about the platform’s future in the United States, it was fair for brands to be cautious. But in 2026, TikTok remains one of the most influential places for people to discover products, explore interests and connect with brands.
So, is TikTok still worth the advertising investment?
September 21, 2026
