CASE STUDY
Mindworks
How we helped Mindworks increase followers by 22.3%
What Happened
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Operated by the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Part museum, part research lab, Mindworks is located in the heart of the Chicago Loop.
Visitors explore how behavioral science can improve their daily lives and communities through interactive exhibits and participate in real research studies, earning prizes along the way.
Since opening in 2021, it has welcomed 50,000 visitors from 75+ countries to explore the groundbreaking work of University of Chicago scientists studying human behavior.
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Mindworks wanted to grow their digital presence, especially on Instagram, and strengthen connections with their target audience on social media.
They also wanted a game plan for increasing winter visits. While summer in-person engagement is strong, visits to the space decline due to the natural decrease in tourism and foot traffic during colder months.
Additionally, their small team needed a system for managing content creation more efficiently.
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Together, we set an ambitious growth target for a niche content subject: gain 525 new Instagram followers, reaching 2,750 total followers by February 24, 2025.
Their broader goals included:
Shifting content toward storytelling about the space and visitors.
Increasing engagement and reach by creating relevant content like polling followers to discover what they want to learn about behavioral science or tying Mindworks to shared cultural moments.
Implementing a streamlined content planning workflow to maximize efficiency and ensure consistency.
Experimenting with paid digital campaigns to amplify reach and attract new followers.
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To drive engagement and follower growth, we guided Mindworks staff to optimize content by leveraging Reels, incorporating behavioral science into everyday life, and aligning posts with cultural moments like Spotify Wrapped.
We also ran a New Year’s lead generation campaign with messaging that encouraged people to follow Mindworks for advice on how to design their best 2025, and advised on a Bulls Tickets Giveaway, all of which contributed to a sharp increase in followers.
We also built an AirTable base to streamline content planning, enhance collaboration, and ensure consistency. By repurposing top-performing content and implementing a structured content strategy, we maximized reach while reducing the workload on the small team.
Results
Mindworks saw significant success in three key areas.
Follower Growth: Instagram followers grew by 22.3% (496 new followers) between October 2024 and February 2025, driven by influencer partnerships and a strategic lead generation campaign.
Engagement & Reach: December alone saw a 641.4% increase in reach and a 172.4% boost in views, with January sustaining momentum through a 109.5% rise in interactions. Content tied to cultural and seasonal themes, like Spotify Wrapped, performed particularly well.
Operational Efficiency: Introducing an AirTable-based content planning system streamlined workflow, improved collaboration, and ensured content consistency.
"[NEW Marketing Solutions] was a tremendous asset as we navigated staff transitions on our social media team. She set up effective collaboration tools, helped us think conceptually about our goals and audiences, ran cost-effective ads, and provided insightful analytics and reporting."
— Chris Partridge, Director of Communications at the Roman Family Center for Decision Research
