Minnesota Timberwolves Social

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Following the Minnesota Timberwolves’ electrifying run to the Western Conference Finals, we had a unique opportunity to build on the momentum and transform newfound excitement into **sustained follower growth**. Our goal was to not only **expand our audience** but also to **deepen engagement** by creating content that showcased the **personalities of our roster and front office** while reinforcing to our fans that **we see, hear, and value them.**

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

At the heart of our strategy was the belief that **fans want to feel seen, heard, and valued.** To achieve this, we:

* **Actively responded** to fan content, resharing their posts and engaging in real-time with community-driven moments.
* **Incorporated inside jokes and memes** that only our core fans would recognize, making our channels feel like a conversation rather than a broadcast.
* **Created content based on fan behavior**, like adjusting our posting cadence to align with peak engagement times and doubling down on the types of content our audience loved most.
* **Leveraged players as content creators**, giving them space to show their humor, interests, and unfiltered reactions.

By meeting our audience where they were, speaking their language, and making them feel like an extension of the team, we transformed a **playoff surge** into **sustained fan loyalty and record-breaking social growth.**

Objective

Following the Minnesota Timberwolves’ electrifying run to the Western Conference Finals, we had a unique opportunity to build on the momentum and transform newfound excitement into sustained **follower growth**. Our goal was to not only **expand our audience** but also to **deepen engagement** by creating content that showcased the personalities of our roster and front office while reinforcing to our fans that **we see, hear, and value them**.

Rather than relying solely on game highlights, we focused on making our social platforms a **destination for compelling storytelling**, blending humor, authenticity, and interactivity. We capitalized on fan conversations, embraced cultural trends, and developed content that made the Timberwolves feel more accessible and relatable—turning casual viewers into long-term followers.

Strategy & Execution

We leaned into **personality-driven content** that made the team feel more like a family and less like a corporate brand. Key approaches included:

* **Behind-the-scenes access** that humanized players and front office staff, highlighting their off-court personalities.
* **Fan-driven content**, where we incorporated memes, trends, and fan-suggested ideas to show we were listening.
* **Interactive storytelling**, such as player mini-mics, real-time reactions to NBA moments, and in-the-moment social takeovers.
* **Platform-specific content strategies** tailored to different audiences— high-quality imagery for IG, quick-hitting humor for TikTok, polished storytelling for YouTube, engagement plays for Facebook, and highlights and personality for Twitter/X.

Organizations

• Minnesota Timberwolves

Links

•   YouTube
•   Instagram
•   TikTok
•   X

Credits

Jarrel Tolbert
Director of Digital Content Strategy
Minnesota Timberwolves

Taylor Nardinger
Social Media Senior Manager
Minnesota Timberwolves

Francisco Manzano-Arechiga
Social Media Manager
Minnesota Timberwolves

Alejandro Meyers
Digital Content & Graphic Design Coordinator
Minnesota Timberwolves

Jack Mosson
Digital Designer
Minnesota Timberwolves

Gabe Alada
Social Media Coordinator
Minnesota Timberwolves

Quincy Young
Executive Producer of Digital Video Production
Minnesota Timberwolves

Joe Kronenberg
Creative Video Production Director
Minnesota Timberwolves

Gram Krause
Video Editing Manager
Minnesota Timberwolves

Doug Price
Motion Graphics Manager
Minnesota Timberwolves

Chris Anema
Motion Graphics Designer
Minnesota Timberwolves

AJ Jackson
Video Editor
Minnesota Timberwolves

Rob Grace
Videographer
Minnesota Timberwolves

Brysien Cross
Videographer
Minnesota Timberwolves

Cole Jorgenson
Videographer
Minnesota Timberwolves

Adrian Wilson
Videograhper
Minnesota Timberwolves

Maddy Carpenter
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Tycen Rhodes
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Mia Jones
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Maddie Dahlberg
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Caleb Waldeck
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Amari Townsend
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Adama Doucoure
Game Night Associate
Minnesota Timberwolves

Matt Stanton
VP of Digital
Minnesota Timberwolves