That said, The Delta Lounge offered a welcome shift in experiential at SXSW with modest sustainability improvements. Drinks were served in glassware rather than flimsy plastic cups, and food on ceramic plates with real flatware, and no single-use plastics. Most of the furniture was borrowed from the venue, and all built items were taken to be repurposed for future activations, the brand said.

In addition to lowering the environmental footprint of the event, Delta’s activation delivered a uniquely luxurious experience to festival-goers. Delta flight attendants and gate agents staffed the activation, bringing a depth of institutional knowledge to the event that is rare in experiential.

It represents a “bespoke mindset” that Delta and a few other brands adopted when activating this year, said Peter Lewis, chief partnerships officer for SXSW. In its first year at the festival, Delta was a Super Sponsor—the festival’s highest sponsorship level.

Sustainability and climate-related content on the official SXSW stages was also lagging this year, attendees noted. While the 45 panels that made up the climate change track outpaced last year’s 35, programming seemed to favor industry interests, climate tech and investment groups.

Mitigating backlash, prioritizing accessibility

The brand is also working to revamp its image after changes to its SkyMiles loyalty program generated a wave of backlash from members. Activating during tentpole events like SXSW and Art Basel could begin to build back some of the brand affinity and trust that was lost during that rollback—and during the challenging travel environment that the Covid-19 pandemic dealt to the entire industry.

To that end, The Delta Lounge effectively rolled out the red carpet for SkyMiles members at SXSW. Those who hadn’t yet signed up for the loyalty program could do so in line, meaning the activation was open to anyone, regardless of whether they had a SXSW badge, which cost between $995 and $2,095 (not including early bird discounts).

The event aimed to make it both luxe and accessible, Tillman said, explaining: “I don’t want to deny anyone an ability to experience Delta.”