ATTENTION: This session requires advance signup to attend. For Online Schedule: Please utilize the RSVP link below the description to reserve your seat. For SXSW GO App: Use the RSVP 'Find a Timeslot' link. You must have a SXSW Interactive, Gold, or Platinum badge to attend, and, you must have an activated SXsocial account (social.sxsw.com) to reserve a seat. If you have any issues with signing up, please email support@sxsw.com. VERY IMPORTANT: Because of the limited space, we recommend you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the published start time of this session. If you have not checked in at the room you RSVPed for at least five minutes prior to the session start time, you may lose your seat to an attendee in the waiting list line.

In a cluttered world of overused and increasingly ignored traditional celebrity, a new generation of online media stars have been born, making waves larger than their subscriber counts, reaching millions with a click to post. With the continued growth of social media and the rapid rise to unimaginable fame, these influencers have changed our concept of celebrity, raising eyebrows from marketers, managers, agents, and media moguls alike, who are just starting to understand the breadth of this world, a world that so many fans are already a part of.

To add to this new celebrity phenomenon, these fans are influential themselves as the first to know and first to share with their followers. These next-level influencers are hyper-aware of who and what to consume. This movement represents today’s publishers, which is causing a massive wave of social empowerment as well as sales. The power of these stars and their fans are truly remarkable; it's the beginning of a cultural movement, casting traditional talent and traditional trends out the window. From swarming crowds of thousands showing up for book signings, to international conferences with social media stars headlining, the digital world is no longer trapped online.