Eventbase, a pioneer in live event technology, has introduced MagicBadge™, the world’s first secure digital credential, at the ongoing South By Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas.
The official SXSW GO mobile app, powered by Eventbase, features this groundbreaking technology. The patent-pending MagicBadge™ is designed to reduce friction for attendees by offering a seamless tap-and-go experience. This innovation enhances security and unlocks personalized digital experiences across the event venue.
To demonstrate MagicBadge™’s capabilities, Eventbase collaborated with George P. Johnson (GPJ), the world’s largest experiential marketing agency. Together, they created an interactive experience called “Find Your Flock” for attendees at the SXSW Event Tech Meetup.
Attendees received a MagicBadge™ NFC Wallet Pass to begin the interactive experience by tapping on a reader. They were immediately greeted with a personalized welcome message on a TV screen and were prompted to answer questions on their phones. Their answers determined their placement in one of five “Flocks,” fostering a fun networking experience.
At their Flock’s table, attendees tapped a bird’s “nest” to check in. Within each nest was a scanner that triggered a personalized drinks menu on their device, offering drinks based on their assigned “role.” This removed friction, allowing attendees to network without waiting in lines or specifying their names. Drinks and unique swag were delivered directly to the tables in an average of 24 seconds.
“We had fun creating this new kind of experience and hiding some easter eggs throughout, and attendees loved it,” said Ken Madden, SVP and Head of Technology & Innovation at GPJ. “The technology has incredible potential to transform event experiences by streamlining the check-in experience and providing a real-time mechanism for triggering personalized digital experiences with every MagicBadge tap.”
At SXSW 2025, badgeholders could easily exchange contact information using MagicBadge™. Attendees created their Contact Card in the SXSW GO mobile app, selecting what information to share. They then scanned other attendees’ MagicBadges to instantly exchange contact details, eliminating the need for business cards.
Future applications of MagicBadge™ will include the ability for attendees to use their phones or even their smartwatches to check in and engage with exhibitors, sponsors, and other attendees across the event campus. MagicBadge™ aims to provide frictionless access to activations that often require lengthy forms and email authentication. Furthermore, it ensures that both organizers and partners gain visibility into usage data.
MagicBadge™ promises to elevate the event experience in numerous ways. Attendees tapping into a session could select their preferred language. Tapping at an activation might invite them to join an interactive video game.
“MagicBadge is great,” said Michael Brown, VP of Technology Solutions at SXSW. “We’re really excited about the potential for badgeholders to have an enhanced, frictionless experience with sponsor engagement and other opportunities. I think people are already used to the tap experience, so it’s a natural extension of the credential.”
