“In Our STEM Era” Makerspace event
In November 2024, Taylor Swift wrapped up the U.S. leg of her record-breaking “Eras Tour” just a few miles from Purdue’s brand-new Indianapolis location. We saw an opportunity to connect with the influx of visitors in the city, creating an unforgettable experience that reinforced Purdue as the preeminent university for young women in STEM.
Purdue’s most ambitious brand activation yet: Why we built this experience
In November 2024, Purdue University saw an opportunity to connect with thousands of visitors in Indianapolis for Taylor Swift’s record-breaking “Eras Tour” by hosting the “In Our STEM Era” Makerspace — a bold, immersive experience designed to make STEM exciting, tangible and relevant for young audiences.
As a leader in STEM education and home to the nation’s first Women in Engineering Program, Purdue is committed to closing the gender gap in STEM, where women make up just 36% of the workforce. This free event blended science with music, beauty and fashion, showing young women how STEM fuels the industries they love.
Importantly, by thinking beyond traditional higher ed marketing, we created a dynamic space that introduced prospective students to Purdue in a way that was unexpected, unforgettable and undeniably Purdue.
Results
From vision to reality: Executing this bold idea
Pulling off an activation of this scale required bold vision, strategic partnerships and careful execution. We transformed a 25,000-square-foot retail space into a dynamic STEM playground, secured a partnership with e.l.f. Cosmetics to bring back their Indy 500 Lip Oil campaign, and curated an experience that resonated with concertgoers.
A multichannel promotional strategy — including digital campaigns, influencer engagement and media outreach — generated excitement before the event, while an exclusive merchandise line created lasting brand engagement into the holiday season. By thinking beyond traditional outreach, Purdue met its audience where they were, in a way that was unforgettable.
