Connecting people and ideas over coffee & bacon since 2008

Connecting people and ideas over coffee & bacon since 2008

Upcoming Events

Social Media Case Studies

Friday, October 30, 2026 | 8-10am

Improving - Uptown, Minneapolis
Featuring Maria Hayden and Jadyn Betzold (Minnesota State Fair), Elizabeth Gaule (Securian Financial)

Get a look behind the scenes of campaigns from The Minnesota State Fair and Securian Financial.

Case Study 1: The Minnesota State Fair
12 Days, 2 Million People, Endless Stories
The Minnesota State Fair gathers nearly 2 million people together for 12 days each year, but the virtual reach of the Great Minnesota Get-Together extends far beyond the fairgrounds. From creator content to collaborations with State Fair partners, there are endless stories to tell. Join members of the State Fair marketing team as they share how the sights, sounds and uniquely Minnesotan moments of the fair come to life on social media.

Case Study 2: Securian Financial
Efficiencies with AI-Generated Social Copy
Facing budget cuts, staff reductions, and the loss of agency support, Securian Financial turned to AI to streamline social media content creation. Using existing technology trained on past posts, brand guidelines, FINRA rules, and AP style, Elizabeth launched a successful executive social pilot that expanded into enterprise social. Both models are now actively in use, with humans still guiding the process.

Elizabeth will share how she trained the models, real-world examples, performance comparisons, and lessons learned. See AI-generated content alongside agency-written posts and discover how AI can save time without sacrificing quality or the human touch.

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Our Sponsors

What kind of programming can you expect?

A sample of our past presentations includes:

Give Your Paid Social a Boost - Campaign Tips & Tricks
Emily Bathe, FRWD@bain
How to Build & Nurture Effective Employer Brands
Arik Hanson
Inside Influencer Marketing
Maggie LaMaack, Fast Horse
A Taste of Social - How the Food Industry Has Embraced New Marketing Channels
Panel Discussion
Increasing Your Lead-to-Conversion Ratio
Dave Meyer, BizzyWeb
Budget-Friendly Video Marketing: Tips & Live Critique
Erica Hanna
Reviews, Testimonials, & Your Online Reputation
Aaron Weiche, GetFiveStars.com
Crisis Communication in Social Media
Panel Discussion
Make the Case for Social Media Resources
Tony Saucier, Level Up Content

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About SMBMSP

Social Media Breakfast - Minneapolis/St. Paul has been a regularly occurring event where like-minded folks across the Twin Cities get together to share and learn about social media. Expert speakers from agencies and businesses are generous with their knowledge, sharing presentations, case studies, and panels with our community on a monthly basis.

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Contact us with questions

Reach out for more information about sponsorship opportunities, hosting an event in your space, or speaking at an upcoming breakfast.