The Social Lights Partners with The Minnesota Star Tribune

The Social Lights, a leading social-first marketing agency, has launched a strategic partnership with The Minnesota Star Tribune, the Midwest's largest media outlet. Together, the partners will work to modernise the Pulitzer Prize-winning company’s approach to audience engagement as well as capture a younger subscriber base.

“We are excited to partner with The Social Lights and local creators as we continue to grow the brand of The Minnesota Star Tribune among younger, more diverse audiences across the state,” said Chris Iles, vice president of communications and brand marketing.

The collaboration comes at a critical time for the local news landscape, as traditional news organisations seek to connect with emerging news consumers who increasingly rely on social platforms for information. The Social Lights will leverage its expertise in social intelligence to provide deeper consumer insights and develop strategies that expand the definition of news delivery for modern audiences.

“Our partnership represents an exciting opportunity to support The Minnesota Star Tribune's mission-driven work to save local journalism,” said Stephanie Schafer, president and chief growth officer at The Social Lights. “We're using a social-first approach to future-proof their business with ambitious strategic audience acquisition goals, while also maintaining the credibility and integrity that local journalism demands.”

The Social Lights will develop an innovative creator strategy beginning with the Minnesota State Fair (August 21st to September 1st, 2025). The campaign will capitalise on one of the state’s most significant cultural events to demonstrate how traditional media can authentically engage with audiences through social-first strategies.

This latest collaboration represents The Social Lights' expansion into the media industry, adding to its impressive client portfolio across CPG, gaming, fashion and recreational vehicles, including General Mills, Cargill, Red Wing Shoe Co., Massage Envyand Polaris.