Jethro’s BBQ Social media team shares strategy: people over tech

Tens of thousands of views for balancing drinks on a server tray? Jethro’s BBQ social media team posts content that, upon first inspection, doesn’t seem to have anything to do with their line of business. But clearly something is working. Social media leads, Mason Jeffries and Macy Dirksen, discuss people is more important than tech.

Jeffries and Dirksen, both University of Iowa, Tippie College of Business grads, explain the method behind the madness and why business owners over complicate social media marketing. They explain why short videos of antics and getting tossed into dish water are more relatable to viewers than what most other local business owners do.

The marketing team behind Jethro’s BBQ and Splash is redefining local social media by prioritizing human relationships over technological gimmicks. University of Iowa Tippie College of Business graduates Dirksen and Jeffries have shifted away from traditional, polished food advertisements toward zany, relatable content featuring their staff. This strategy routinely captures between 10,000 and 20,000 views per post on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. “Our big mindset is that people do love seeing other people, and we’ve noticed that through our socials,” Jeffries explained, noting that spotlighting standout servers from Google and Yelp reviews drives deep community connection.

Dirksen, who frequently bartenders to maintain direct contact with consumers, emphasized tailoring content to specific platform demographics rather than cross-posting identical material. While TikTok captures a younger crowd with short-form videos, Facebook and X serve an informational role driven by graphics and food photography. “But it really matters when it comes to social media because people love relatable content, funny content,” Dirksen noted regarding their unconventional video style. Beyond digital spaces, the duo leverages community-oriented campaigns, including a reading program that engaged 7,000 local children and targeted fundraisers for organizations like Girls on the Run.

Optimizing the Consumer State of Mind

When measuring return on investment (ROI), the team carefully segments free social media outreach from high-cost print and venue advertising. Using scheduling tools like Pop Menu, they design campaigns that align with a consumer’s physical environment and state of mind. For instance, venue ads at Hilton Coliseum remain minimalist to respect the audience’s attention span, avoiding complex calls-to-action like QR codes in transient environments. Ultimately, their overarching digital and physical strategy remains grounded in authenticity. As Dirksen stated, “Our motto is people over everything, and that’s just one of our values.”