Building a Statewide Marketing Engine to keep talent in nebraska

about the project

Aksarben Foundation has spent more than a century helping Nebraska leaders turn big civic ideas into action. When Aksarben partnered with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to expand internNE, the mission was clear: connect Nebraska students with career-launching internships while helping employers build the next generation of local talent.

The opportunity was not just to promote an internship grant. It was to turn a complex statewide workforce initiative into a clear, useful, and inspiring experience for students, employers, educators, community colleges, chambers, and regional partners.

internNE, Powered by Aksarben needed a marketing system that could create awareness, explain the program, support applications, promote events, activate partners, and tell the story of how internships impact Nebraska's future workforce.

key challenges

• Low awareness among diverse statewide audiences.
• Inconsistent branding and messaging across various channels.
• Complex grant details that require simplification.
• Distinct journeys for students, employers, educators, and partners.
• Limited internal time for consistent content creation.
• Need to highlight internships as opportunities, not just paperwork.
  

Audience Growth Campaigns

• Launched targeted growth initiatives that drove 1,948 new followers across platforms.
  
  
• Positioned LinkedIn as the hub for employers and professionals, while Instagram and TikTok became student-first spaces.

Authentic Storytelling

• Shared intern journeys, mentorship stories, and career tips through Reels, TikToks, and student spotlights.
  

Cross-Channel Alignment

• Unified branding and messaging across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube, and TikTok.
  
  
• Built a content calendar balancing intern spotlights, program updates, and motivational career content.
  

Carrying the mission on

When the contract between Aksarben and the DED ended with internNE, powered by Aksarben, Aksarben continued to invest in Nebraska's future workforce through scholarships for students in community colleges, state colleges, universities, and certificate programs. This shift focused on empowering students and driving economic growth statewide.

XPM facilitated this transition, helping Aksarben move from promoting internships to connecting students with opportunities and strengthening Nebraska's talent pipeline. The result was not a replacement for internNE, but a continuation of its purpose through Aksarben’s scholarship program, supporting students and communities for long-term economic growth.

The internne Approach

Our approach went beyond boosting numbers — it was about making internships feel like an exciting, transformative movement.

• Tone: Inspirational, opportunity-driven, never overly corporate.
  
  
• Authenticity: Content that reflected students’ real experiences and aspirations.
  
  
• Medium: Heavy use of Reels and short-form video for Gen Z audiences.

“Internships aren’t just a stepping stone — they’re a launchpad for Nebraska’s future workforce.”

+434,943

Total social impressions

+2,000

new Followers within 18 months

+8,790

Average web Session Duration

Thank You!

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