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Purdue University and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Eclipse Event

Two iconic Midwest brands — Purdue University and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway — came together in partnership with NASA to capitalize on a moment that was poised to become a cultural touchstone: the 2024 total solar eclipse. With over 50,000 in attendance and millions watching from all over the world, this event was Purdue’s largest single-day event for media exposure in the university’s history.

Why Partner With the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Eclipse? 

Purdue and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each brought individual strengths and resources to the partnership. Purdue’s rich legacy in space and the opening of Purdue’s Indianapolis campus brought credibility and relevance to the event — including the presence of 5 members of Purdue’s Cradle of Astronauts. The IMS brought an iconic venue and a global fanbase. Both brands have a deep commitment to fueling STEM education and research that added an innovative edge to the day’s events.  

Goals

Throughout the course of this brand partnership, we focused on achieving five main outcomes:  

  1. Create strategic brand relevancy alongside a timely Indianapolis community event 
  1. Enhance visibility for Purdue on a local, national and international scale 
  1. Increase awareness and hype for the upcoming launch of Purdue’s new campus in Indianapolis 
  1. Showcase the impact of Purdue’s commitment to STEM education and scientific leadership by tapping into Purdue’s alumni network to bring expertise in space exploration to the event 
  1. Create long-term brand equity for both partners that fosters brand loyalty, positive associations, goodwill and future engagement 

Results

LARGESTsingle-day event for media exposure in Purdue history (2,300 total placements)
21.6 millionsocial media impressions(700,000 day-of)
50,000+ event attendees(from all 50 states, 35 countries and 5 continents)
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Preparing for the Event 

Content strategy before the event focused on ticket sales, building hype and establishing credibility — this included the Total Solar Eclipse commercial, a SEO campaign, a video with local meteorologist Angela Buchman that forecasted clear skies for the event and a Q&A video series based on common search questions.  

Eclipse Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway  

Content strategy on the day of the event focused on positioning Purdue as an expert in aerospace and motorsports engineering and reinforcing Purdue as a presenting sponsor — this included the live “This Is Purdue” podcast astronaut panel livestream; multiple media appearances from Purdue faculty; and many Purdue-themed props, signs and selfie opportunities throughout the speedway’s grounds.  

See Eclipse Event Photos 

Continuing the Hype 

Content strategy afterward focused on showing how successful the day’s events were and continuing to capitalize on the hype of the event — this included further promotion of the “This Is Purdue” livestream and a video showcasing the success of the event.  

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