In 2006, the annual SXSW music festival was changed forever by a guerilla marketing activation by Red Bull. The beverage company rented a 10,000 square-foot warehouse in downtown Austin during the music festival, performed extensive renovations to bring it up to code, and threw a massive week-long, invite-only party.

The Red Bull House had all the elements now commonplace in SXSW marketing activations, a main stage, a gaming lounge, an internet cafe, a room for DJs, open bars, pool tables, arcade machines, and even a basketball court.

Over half a decade prior to forming LumiGeek, co-founders Joe Martin and John Taylor teamed up to bring amazing interactive technology and art to SXSW. It was undoubtedly the first time that technologies (such as PlayMotion’s stereoscopic computer vision and projection environments) were debuted at the technology mecca.

It was the curation of this event where Martin and Taylor found that they could work together under the pressures of a highly intensive production environment, yet still showcase delicate and cutting-edge technologies.