TikTok

In October 2018, TikTok – a new social media app – surpassed the number of downloads for Facebook, YouTube, and even Instagram. The app allows users to create fifteen second videos accompanied by short music clips and a number of visual effects such as augmented reality and filters. With over 500 million actively monthly users, TikTok is a forest of content and highly engaged users – 55% of users had uploaded a video within a month according to a November 2018 survey. Interestingly, most older social media users have probably never heard of TikTok – 41% of its user-base are Generation Z, aged between 16 and 24.

Cutting through the clutter – why is TikTok so appealing to Gen Z?

Despite being digital natives, Gen Z are not fond of digital advertising – they skip video ads and have low tolerance for other forms of online advertising. Humour is also incredibly important, with 72% of Gen Z holding more positive views towards ads that are funny or humorous. What does this mean for marketers? You need to capture their attention in a short timeframe through non-obtrusive advertising. This is where TikTok has been utilised by brands as it provides a fun and engaging way to communicate with consumers through creativity, music, and memes.

TikTok primarily provides users with entertainment and a way to creatively express themselves through numerous editing options – users can put their own spins on existing videos or create something entirely new. Brands may occasionally find themselves on the receiving end of organic brand engagement through TikTok. For example, TikTok users latched on to hair care brand Marc Anthony by creating parody videos of themselves as if they were in hair care commercials, overlaying the videos with positive messages about the brand. The results? The Marc Anthony’s product featured in the TikTok videos experienced a 60% increase in sales which caught the brand pleasantly by surprise and prompted discussions of how to use the platform in the future.

How are brands using TikTok?

One way brands have been capitalising on TikTok users is through hashtag challenges, where users upload themed videos in response to a hashtag (think the Icebucket Challenge). Mexican food outlet Chipotle broke internal records for their National Avocado Day in mid-2019 through an incredibly successful TikTok campaign where consumers submitted videos with the hashtag #GuacDance for a free tub of guacamole. Over 250,000 videos were submitted over campaign, resulting in an additional 187,500 pounds of avocado on top of regular orders needed to satisfy customers.

Fashion retailer GUESS partnered with TikTok to launch the platform’s first branded content in the US during September 2018. The partnership utilised micro-influencers and a TikTok promoted hashtag campaign that resulted in over 37.4 million views of videos containing the hashtag #InMyDenim. While TikTok is still in its early days, the levels of engagement brands are already achieving make it something to at the very least keep an eye on for potential campaigns in the future.