The Play Chi Ball Revolution Activated SXSW
And What I Learned from It…
Confession: I Had Instagram on My Phone for Five Days
Let’s just get this out of the way. I, Bradley T. Morris, the guy who swore off social media years ago, downloaded Instagram on my phone for five whole days. Yuck. It felt dirty, but it was for a good cause—capturing the Chi Ball Revolution in action at South by Southwest (SXSW). And let me tell you, it was WILD.
Bringing Play to the World’s Biggest Creative Festival
SXSW is not just a conference—it’s a city-wide takeover of music, film, business, tech, comedy, and culture. Austin, Texas becomes one giant festival with 300,000+ people flooding the streets. Instead of following the traditional playbook (attending panels, networking mixers, and venture capital meetings), we followed the Chi.
Translation? My business partner Mike and I spent 14-15 hours a day PLAYING Chi Ball with strangers in the streets, at airports, in lineups, outside venues, inside festivals—literally anywhere and everywhere. And the results? Mind-blowing.
How We Used Play to Hack SXSW
Chi Ball as an icebreaker: The moment we pulled out the ball, strangers became friends, walls came down, and real connections happened. Business cards? Overrated. Play is the ultimate networking tool.
Massive market research: We played with creators, investors, marketers, and festival-goers and got real-time feedback on what makes Chi Ball irresistible. Key takeaway: drunk people are NOT our audience… family-friendly folk and activated creators ARE our people 😂
Brand partnerships & business growth: We sold out of balls at a spontaneous festival we last minute decided to check out. We also played Chi Ball with and sold balls to some major influencers (like Fausto o Menzinho / Jorginho - hilarious videos coming soon), and even had an investor approach us in an airport mid-phone call asking if we were looking for funding. He immediately bought a Chi Ball for his kid.
New revenue stream unlocked: We realized we could bring Chi Ball Activations to conferences and events—helping people break the ice, connect without alcohol, and feel at ease in their bodies. Because let’s be honest—most networking events are awkward AF. Guess what!? We booked our first one for a 120 person Investors Conference this May! That was quick… I guess when you’re in the flow, you’re in the flow!
The Big Lessons from SXSW
1. Play is a Universal Language
We played with people from Brazil, Africa, Europe, the U.S., Canada, Mexico—everywhere. No politics. No barriers. No agendas. Just connection. At one point, we were even hearing about Chi Ball rallies breaking out in different parts of the festival from people who had bought balls earlier in the week. The ripple effect was REAL. By day 4 we couldn’t walk a block without people yelling “CHI BALLLLL!!” The sounds of a revolution.
2. Social Media CAN Be Useful… If Used Intentionally
Look, I still hate social media. It is addictive and mostly unproductive. But playing with and tagging influencers, capturing real-world play moments out in the wild, and posting that content in the moment was an effective strategy at SXSW. Now that I’m back? Instagram is deleted again and I’ll be back to using my Buffer App so I don’t have to log on again.
3. Energy is Everything
Most people at SXSW were there to pitch, hustle, and chase funding. We showed up to play, connect, and spark joy. And guess what? People were drawn to us. The best marketing isn’t about convincing—it’s about attracting through authentic energy.
4. The Future of Chi Ball is BIGGER Than We Imagined
We thought we were selling a game. Turns out, we’re activating a movement. Schools, families, festivals, and even corporate events want Chi Ball. The biggest challenge now? Scaling distribution globally. (PS: If you know anyone who can help in the UK, Brazil, Australia & beyond - hit me up. We’ve got North America covered, but the Chi is wanting to flow globally!)
Final Thought: Get Off Your Screens & Into the World
SXSW reminded me of one undeniable truth: the real magic happens OFFLINE. If you want to grow your business, deepen your connections, or find your people—step away from the screen and go PLAY. Whether it’s Chi Ball or something else, the world needs more play, more joy, and more real human connection… so get out there and do what you love to do — trusting that is where you will find your flow and meet your people.
Are you in?
Join the Chi Ball Revolution… because the revolution will be joyful!
Learn more about the Chi Ball Revolution here.
We still have an unbelievable amount of hilarious, inspiring footage that we’re editing right now, so feel free to watch the televised version of the Revolution on Insta or YouTube if you’re there.
Stay awesome and stay activated!
BRADLEY T. MORRIS
Majik Media: Coach, Creative Director & Executive Producer
Majik Kids: Father, Founder, Author & Creative director
Play Chi Ball: Chi Baller, Chi Ambassador & Co-Founder