Purdue University’s “In Our STEM Era” Makerspace

Capitalizing on the momentum of Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” in Indianapolis — home to Purdue University’s new location — we launched “In Our STEM Era,” a free, interactive makerspace at Indianapolis’ Circle Centre Mall, just a short walk from the concert. The event, spanning 25,000-plus square feet and three days, invited young girls and first-time visitors to explore STEM through themed “eras” that linked science to music, beauty and fashion. Purdue, home to the nation’s first Women in Engineering Program and a leader in STEM education, is committed to inspiring the next generation of women in STEM.
The event aimed to position Purdue as the preeminent STEM university for young women; increase national visibility and brand affinity; inspire future engagement through hands-on experiences; connect STEM with beauty, music and fashion; celebrate women and girls in STEM; and inspire young attendees to see new possibilities in STEM and Purdue’s role in their future.
Key highlights:
e.l.f. Cosmetics collaboration: Reintroduced their Lip Oil Change campaign, connecting STEM with beauty.
Hands-on activities: Visitors created binary-coded friendship bracelets, designed digital graphics, customized hand lotion scents, sampled e.l.f. Lip Oil while learning about women in motorsports, and watched Purdue’s space exploration film, “Boilers to Mars.”
IndyCar showcase: Featured Katherine Legge’s e.l.f. Cosmetics car from the 2024 Indianapolis 500.
Exclusive merchandise: A 15-item collection designed for concertgoers, available in-store and online.
Purdue promoted the event with a dedicated webpage, paid and organic campaigns, influencer partnerships, media interviews, and an exclusive video featuring Purdue women in STEM. Post-event, we sustained engagement with content highlights and a holiday merchandise campaign.
By thinking beyond traditional marketing for higher education, Purdue created an unexpected, unforgettable experience for concertgoers and their families — bringing STEM to life and meeting future Boilermakers where they were in a way that felt both unexpected and unforgettable.