UM IPC Research Symposium Production
About: The University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center conducts research, training, and outreach to reduce injury and violence across Michigan and nationwide, bringing together researchers, clinicians, students, and community partners.
Service Type: Event marketing, communications strategy, event copywriting, campaign management, attendee communications, event production
Project: Full-service marketing, communications, and production for the Fourth Annual Injury Prevention Research Symposium. March 23, 2026. North Campus Research Complex, Ann Arbor, MI.
Challenge: The Center needed to grow its annual symposium into a polished, well-attended convening of researchers, faculty, students, and community partners. aKrewe handled the full communications lifecycle: driving abstract submissions and registrations months in advance, managing presenter logistics, and executing a seamless event day. All of it had to meet the standards of a leading academic institution while staying accessible to audiences ranging from undergraduates to senior investigators.
Solution: aKrewe Strategy Co. served as the Center's end-to-end communications and production partner, building a promotion and logistics engine that carried the symposium from first announcement through final load-out.
Event copy and web content. We developed the complete written identity for the symposium: the main event description, registration copy, and dedicated section content covering the agenda, CE credits, poster presentations, and abstract submissions.
Multi-phase promotion campaign. We designed and executed a ten-week social media campaign across LinkedIn, X, and Facebook, structured around two conversion goals: abstract submissions ahead of the January deadline and registrations ahead of the February cutoff. The campaign included a tailored caption toolkit with versions for five distinct audiences (attendees, employees, speakers, students, and community partners), giving the Center and its partners ready-to-post content that amplified reach organically.
Email communications. We built Mailchimp campaigns for each stakeholder in the symposium program: presenters, distinguished guests, researchers, faculty, students, and community partners. This reduced back-and-forth for the Center's team and gave presenters and attendees everything they needed to show up prepared.
Day-of production. We translated a complex program of research presentations, a poster session, sponsor programming, and an awards ceremony into an easy-to-follow run of show. On event day, aKrewe managed on-site execution from setup through breakdown.
Results:
A fully executed symposium day that ran on schedule across research presentations, an interactive poster session, lunch programming, and closing awards
Breakdown and load-out completed in 28 minutes
A reusable promotion system, including caption libraries, presenter communication templates, and a phased campaign framework built for annual repetition
An expanded partnership: the Center engaged aKrewe for ongoing video production, including scholar and symposium interviews and monthly video content
"I genuinely enjoyed working with the aKrewe team. The level of detail and care taken to ensure our event's success was truly remarkable. The day felt effortless. It was truly a pleasure to work with Kristen and her team."
Nichole Burnside, Managing Director, Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan
