Warner Bros Investigation Discovery at SXSW

The challenge

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Investigation Discovery set out to expand its reach beyond traditional broadcast and connect with a younger, culturally engaged true crime audience. While the network is a leader in 24/7 true crime programming, the challenge was translating its on-screen storytelling into a live, physical experience that could resonate in a crowded cultural moment like SXSW. 

The challenge wasn’t audience appetite for content, but awareness of the channel itself. While Investigation Discovery’s programming was performing strongly on HBO, the brand needed to drive wider recognition of ID as a 24/7 true crime network in its own right.

The solution

BEG developed The Art of Investigation, an immersive experience launched in partnership with Variety’s True Crime Summit at SXSW, Austin 2026. The activation marked the first public expression of a broader tentpole lifestyle event strategy developed by BEG for Investigation Discovery. With its strong alignment to the network’s evolving growth ambitions and culturally engaged consumers, SXSW provided the ideal launch platform.

Designed to turn passive viewing into active participation, the experience brought the science and process of solving a case into a live environment. Guests moved through a series of forensic-inspired spaces and interactive moments, including CCTV-style entry footage, digital crime clock screens, a decomposition display, fingerprinting and ballistics labs, a suspect and timeline board, an interrogation room, and a red room photo opportunity designed for social capture. 

The journey concluded at an evidence locker, where attendees received branded merchandise, extending the experience beyond the space itself. Throughout, Investigation Discovery’s programming was integrated into the environment, ensuring the content remained central at every stage.

The result

Delivered over a six-hour window, The Art of Investigation drew thousands of attendees, engaging a highly relevant mix of media, industry professionals and dedicated true crime fans. BEG’s approach created a high level of dwell time and interaction on-site, while moments designed for social capture drove organic amplification beyond SXSW itself. Talent presence throughout the day further extended reach and added cultural credibility. 

The activation delivered 608K impressions, 7.5K engagements, 410K video views and 600+ giveaway entries, demonstrating strong audience interest both on-site and beyond SXSW itself.

As the first activation within a wider strategic roadmap, the experience successfully demonstrated how Investigation Discovery can translate its content into live environments, creating more participatory, shareable and culturally connected brand moments.

Client Testimonial

“Bringing true crime to new audiences is at the heart of everything we do at Investigation Discovery, and Variety’s inaugural True Crime Summit at SXSW perfectly embodied that mission. Our immersive activation, brought to life through an incredible partnership with Boston Experiential Group (BEG), was a perfect collaboration that delivered exactly what we envisioned – an experience that pulled audiences deeper into the world of true crime. SXSW attendees didn’t only discover ID; they gained a greater understanding of the science, dedication, and perseverance that go into solving crimes and delivering justice for victims and their families by immersing fully in the content.”

– Whitney Portman, Director Of Brand Marketing at Warner Bros. Discovery