Innovation in the Spotlight: Purdue at SXSW
In 2025, Purdue University took the stage at SXSW — one of the world’s premier gatherings of innovators, creators and decision-makers. Partnering with Fast Company, Purdue Brand Studio seized this cultural moment to expand Purdue’s national presence, highlight our role in shaping cross-industry innovation and bring our enterprise brand campaign to life.
Innovation Takes Center Stage
At the Fast Company Grill, Purdue brought together leaders shaping the future of pharma in a bold panel, titled “Innovating What Matters: Driving Pharma Forward.”
Panelists included:
- Mung Chiang, president, Purdue University
- Sean Bruich, senior vice president of AI and data, Amgen
- Tatyana Kanzaveli, chief operating officer, Open Health Network
The conversation centered around AI-powered transformation, Purdue’s pioneering partnerships with Eli Lilly and Merck, and our role in Purdue’s Hard-Tech Corridor. Later, the discussion lived on as an episode of the “This Is Purdue” podcast — topping our April 2025 charts.
Turning a Moment Into Momentum
The SXSW panel didn’t stop in Austin. Repurposed as a “This Is Purdue” podcast episode, the conversation carried Purdue’s story to new audiences nationwide — becoming our top-performing episode of April 2025.
At the same time, a geotargeted paid campaign ensured Purdue’s presence was impossible to miss during SXSW, reaching the right people in the right places and amplifying digital engagement well beyond the event.
