Expanding Brand Impact with Event Strategy
A global institution planned two high-profile public events located at a flagship innovation campus. Together, they were designed to serve as tentpole moments reinforcing the parent brand’s evolving leadership in technology, education, and purpose-driven innovation.
The communications strategy emphasized cultural relevance and intellectual contribution to a new kind of urban tech ecosystem, distinct from traditional industry hubs. The goal was to connect with stakeholders by aligning with the values, energy, and ideas shaping the next wave of technology culture.
The comms strategy aimed to deepen awareness among target audiences, strengthen brand alignment with emerging tech, and maintain consistency across paid, owned, and earned media. Success would rely on a tightly coordinated strategy, clear creative direction, and partnership with a consistent media and advertising agency capable of upholding the broader brand vision.
My Roles:
Strategic Leadership — Brand Strategy — Editorial Strategy — Positioning & Messaging — Event Development — Brand Storytelling – Audience Segmentation — Creative Direction — Concept Development — Visual Direction — Creative Briefs — Multi-channel Campaigns — Cross-functional Alignment — Stakeholder Management — Internal Buy-in — Presentation Development — Leadership Communication — Project Oversight — Scope Development — Resource Planning — QA & Approvals — Collab & Integration — Cross-unit Collaboration — Interdisciplinary Coordination — Team Leadership — Creative Partnership — KPI Definition — Performance Reporting — Audience Research — Persona Development — User-Centered Design –
Strategic Leadership — Brand Strategy — Editorial Strategy — Positioning & Messaging — Event Development — Brand Storytelling – Audience Segmentation — Creative Direction — Concept Development — Visual Direction — Creative Briefs — Multi-channel Campaigns — Cross-functional Alignment — Stakeholder Management — Internal Buy-in — Presentation Development — Leadership Communication — Project Oversight — Scope Development — Resource Planning — QA & Approvals — Collab & Integration — Cross-unit Collaboration — Interdisciplinary Coordination — Team Leadership — Creative Partnership — KPI Definition — Performance Reporting — Audience Research — Persona Development — User-Centered Design –
Event Identity
Making eye contact with a large, human portrait was the primary goal for the art direction throughout all channels.
The copy direction strived to twist tech-industry buzzwords and phrases into more humanistic concepts, demonstrating Cornell’s practical values in their approach to advancing technology.
Experience Design
The event run-of-show was developed to provide an optimal experience for attendees while also enabling as many real-time and post-event content creation and publishing opportunities as possible.
Project Brief
Précis
The digital revolution has not fully realized its enormous potential for transformational, positive impact on humanity on a long-term, global scale.
Technology is advancing at breakneck speed: the digital revolution is changing lives; individuals are part of a global conversation with access to tools that make their voices heard; new technologies are exposing cracks in traditional systems developed during the 19th and 20th Century industrial revolutions; and digital technologies are disrupting established norms around work, health, governance and future of our earth and climate. These transformations require solutions that move us away from the problems of the industrial age to the solutions of the digital age and present opportunities to leverage technology in more powerful, ethical, equitable, and global ways.
Cornell University is uniquely positioned to help define the scope of tomorrow’s tech impact. We’re a 21st-century technology leader based on a 150-year dedication to technology innovation and creating knowledge with a public purpose.
Through a “festival of ideas,” Cornell can further advance its land-grant mission of advancing and improving the lives and livelihoods of the state’s citizens through teaching, research and public service by bringing together technology leaders, researchers, and the public for a lively discussion.
Vision
The “festival of ideas” will focus on the evolving interactions between technology and humanity. The festival is imagined as a celebration of ideas, bringing together global thinkers from diverse fields to explore critical questions around the intersection of technology and society. It will be an outward-facing exploration of issues that have become central in our lives.
Event Themes
Living and Thriving in the Digital Future: Implications on health, work, governance and the future of our earth and climate.
Structure
We envision a combination of featured keynote speakers, panels, moderated discussions, and interactive events.
Audience
We hope to draw an audience that will span a broad range of citizens of all ages, who design, purchase, use, and interact with technology. Our intention is to invite onsite participation by a thousand members of the general public, in addition to those participating via Livestream, with a secondary goal of showcasing the work in this area happening at Cornell Tech and across Cornell.
*This project was placed on indefinite hold.