Brand Building with TikTok
By creating a new world of online sharing, TikTok lets users express themselves. In no more than 15 seconds, they can create something unique.
The Power of TikTok
Achieving breakthrough brand building with TikTok
Why TikTok?
TikTok's impressive splash
Why TikTok?
There is no denying the splash TikTok is making
By creating a new world of online sharing, TikTok lets users express themselves. In a matter of seconds, they can create something unique.
TikTok has grown at a striking rate.
As of September 2020 there are now 100 million monthly active users (MAU) in the USA and 100m MAU across Europe.
The key question is how can brands harness the energy of TikTok in an engaging and powerful way.
What We Did
TikTok commissioned Kantar to investigate the value of user-generated content (UGC), specifically Hashtag Challenges, for brands on TikTok.
The desired outcome of the research was to provide an objective point of view on the impact of UGC through TikTok and provide practical and actionable guidance for creating breakthrough, brand-building UGC marketing at scale.
To get under the skin of what makes TikTok work, we spoke to experts and interrogated data.
We focused on Branded Hashtag Challenges - where brands trigger user-generated content by issuing challenges. Influencers, called creators on TikTok, typically start the process, then users submit videos - often involving singing, dancing or comedy - in the hope of winning a prize or going viral.
• We interviewed 16 experts - an eclectic mix of senior advertisers and agency specialists across several markets, including early adopters of TikTok. We explored the current landscape of TikTok content, uncovered key elements of success, and looked to the future.
• We looked at the meta data of over 60 TikTok Branded Hashtag Challenges across 16 markets - digging into views, viewers, as well as shares, likes and comments. We also examined how they showed up on social media.
• By interrogating demographic data on TikTok users from Kantar’s TGI Global Quickview survey of over 67,000 people in 25 countries, we discovered details of behaviour, age and usage.
This multi-pronged approach taught us about both TikTok users and the power of successful TikTok brand campaigns.
We discovered how TikTok can be used to create breakthrough, brand-building user-generated content at scale.
What We Discovered
This research led us to three major discoveries about TikTok Hashtag Challenges
• TikTok creates engagement on an enormous scale
• TikTok is perfectly placed to trigger engagement
• TikTok requires new and different thinking
TikTok creates engagement on an enormous scale
Hashtag Challenges, first and foremost deliver scale…you can’t find engagement like this on any other platform.
Carolyn Nephew, Senior Manager, Performance Media, Reckitt Benckiser
It is clear that TikTok attracts big numbers. Hashtag Challenges can have incredible reach. The most successful challenges have surpassed iconic TV moments and the most viewed YouTube adverts.
• Amazon #BeforeAlexa was 2020’s most watched Super Bowl YouTube ad with 61.8 million viewers.
Source: YouTube views and re-views a week on from the Super Bowl
• 81 million unique users saw entries to the Walmart #DealDropDance Branded Hashtag Challenge. Although Branded Hashtag Challenges cannot currently be geo-fenced, the numbers speak for themselves.
Source: TikTok
• To give a UK context we looked at comparing a UK Branded Hashtag Challenge to big TV moments in the UK from the past decade, such as Andy Murray winning Wimbledon in 2013.
• We also looked at Branded Hashtag Challenges in Japan and compared them to the biggest TV moment of 2019. For the results, read on...
Note: TikTok Viewers = Unique User Video Views (The number of individuals who saw Branded Hashtag Challenge content). Hashtag Challenges are not geo-fenced meaning many viewers of Hashtag Challenges may not be from the individual markets.
• A Branded Hashtag Challenge for a soft drink in Japan recorded 52 million unique user video views, almost as many as the record TV audience (60m) for Japan v Scotland.
• River Island’s #GlowingOut campaign has had 17 million viewers globally.
TikTok is perfectly placed to trigger engagement
There is something magical about TikTok’s combination of factors.
Kantar’s study of 223 adverts, across an enormous range of categories, revealed the winning features of the most successful ad campaigns. The most important differentiators are celebrities, social media hashtags, voiceover, character and music.
All these elements are in the DNA of Hashtag Challenges.
Celebrities - Creators and influencers are key to the launch of challenges
Social Media hashtags - This is the essence of a challenge, and can live beyond TikTok in social media.
Voiceover - TikTok not only encourages voiceover, but offers a range of effects.
Characters - Every Hashtag Challenge video features a real person with an authentic character.
Finally, Music, which is a unique strength of TikTok.
Other platforms are watched without sound 85% of the time (Source: Digiday), but sound is turned on by default in TikTok. Audio cues are always present, and Hashtag Challenges can tap into the emotional response and memory formation that music evokes. The powerful effect of music is integral to engagement.
The things that make certain adverts superpowered are baked into the experience of TikTok.
TikTok requires new and different thinking
The behaviours needed to make the most of TikTok are fresh and unique.
TikTok pushes marketers to think outside of the usual parameters when it comes to social campaigns.
Beckie Turnbull, Social Media Manager, PrettyLittleThing
The features of TikTok make it distinct, and hard to compare to other platforms.
I don't think we can necessarily make a direct comparison between the platforms because they are so different in the way users behave and the opportunity for brands… especially if we're comparing campaigns with a component of UGC.
Lewis Steele, Head of Social and Content, Connecting Plots
The scale and speed of TikTok is like nothing we’ve seen, and the opportunity for brands is enormous
The platform is creating excitement in the industry, and the rewards can be huge, but brands should look and learn before they leap. The platform demands a new, creative way of thinking and acting, and shoehorning old ideas into this space will not work.
The space is a playground for brands that learn the mindset and behaviours of the platform, as people WANT to engage with brands.
Lewis Steele, Head of Social and Content, Connecting Plots
To tap into the powerful audience response, it is vital to understand TikTok, and to engage with users on their own terms.
10 Truths About TikTok
Truths 1-3: What makes TikTok special?
Ten Truths About TikTok
The potential TikTok holds is vast - but understanding is vital
From our discussions with experts, and our interrogation of both TikTok and Kantar data, we uncovered ten truths about TikTok that are essential to creating breakthrough, brand-building user-generated marketing at scale.
These truths cover what makes TikTok so unique, the ways it can work for brands, and how to make the most of its possibilities.
What Makes TikTok special?
The level of engagement TikTok can create is new.
TikTok is so much more powerful than other platforms in that it cultivates deep audience engagement and endorsement through UGC campaigns.
Mr Masahiro Ando, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe
This engagement is not superficial, but deep and resonant. Understanding why this happens is crucial to approaching TikTok in the most powerful way. We can see three clear ways that TikTok is distinct from other platforms.
Truth 1: TikTok, it’s just different
Truth 2: Creators are the foundation
Truth 3: Music hits the right key
Truth 1: TikTok, it's just different
TikTok is different to platforms that have come before. It stands out because it is an entertainment space rather than a lifestyle one - and anyone can become a creator.
TikTok’s data shows us that engagement rates are not only high, but stay high when follower numbers increase.
The elements that make TikTok unique are the very reasons why it provokes such potent engagement.
There are four key factors that make TikTok distinct -
• Simple Creativity
• Relatable Authenticity
• Short Form
• Challenge Mechanism
Simple Creativity
TikTok’s easy-to-use augmented reality, video editing and music features allow people to explore their creative side in a simple way. TikTok levels the playing field - anyone can contribute and gain popularity. This ease and freedom lead to more playfulness when creating. TikTok is full of joy, silliness and experimentation.
TikTok is the first platform where you can actually be the protagonist.
MariaLaura Del Naia, Digital Media Specialist for Selection
Almost everyone can be popular in TikTok.
Maria Troitskaya, Planning Group Head, Carat
TikTok is more creative, and I would say there is a lot more freedom with content… users can experiment more.
Beckie Turnbull, Social Media Manager, PrettyLittleThing.com
Relatable Authenticity
TikTok is a space where people can be real. It is not a curated place where people show a vision of the life they wish they were living, but a place of authenticity and community. The content is relatable and honest.
Gen Z want to feel part of a community and prefer sharing authentic and relatable content… instead of posting pretentious videos of themselves in front of a Lamborghini.
Alessandro Bogliari, Co-Founder & CEO, The Influencer Marketing Factory
TikTok is raw and authentic. Users are not interested in polished content and prefer to stay true to themselves. Both diversity and inclusion are celebrated.
Chloe Bebbington, Social Media Marketing Manager, River Island
Short Form
We know from many studies that video is the most engaging content type. Kantar AdReaction studies also found that younger people are positive towards adverts which last 10 seconds or less. TikTok’s short-form videos are perfectly positioned to tap into these preferences.
Short video will become huge...and TikTok seems to be the ideal platform for that.
Peter Petermann, Chief Strategy Office, Wavemaker
[Short form video is…] an important and overlooked distinction to other platforms. It feels like the more traditional platforms are pushing for more longer form content.
James Treen, Social Media Strategist, Wunderman Thompson
Challenge Mechanism
The mechanism of the challenge itself is compelling and different. In a Hashtag Challenge, people are invited to take part in something that has never been done before. The elements of play and sharing, as well as competition, make it irresistible.
The Hashtag Challenge has the potential to boost brand engagement taking it to new heights.
Arindam Bhattacharyyam, Chief Strategy Officer, Dentsu Aegis
The scale, speed of the reach and engagement of the Hashtag Challenge is just unique.
Dan Wong, General Manager Clicks Communications.
These elements come together to make TikTok special. The story is the same the world over - scale and engagement like no other platform can deliver.
Truth 2: Creators are the foundation
TikTok is a community, and Hashtag Challenges require active collaboration with key creators.
It is vital to identify the right creators early on, and to co-create with them. They should be active participants in any brand challenge, and they have expertise that is invaluable. Listening to them and partnering with them is the best way to create powerful content.
It's essential to understand how the app and the community thinks… co-create hashtag challenges with influencers and ask for their feedback.
Alessandro Bogliari, CEO & Co-Founder, The Influencer Marketing Factory.
Lean on your creators as much as possible, they know the platform inside out and will know what works best for their audience … give them creative freedom.
Lewis Steel, Head of Social & Content, Connecting Plots
As well as learning from them, working with creators allows brands to create a compelling mix of fresh, user-generated content and recognisable talent.
TikTok can also provide crucial support in the creation of Hashtag Challenges.
The experience of using the platform is new to many, and TikTok can be involved at the conceptual stage, using their knowledge of what leads to success.
The whole experience was very collaborative with the TikTok creative team. With both expertise we were able to make the most of the campaign.
Chloe Bebbington, Social Media Marketing Manager, River Island
This collaborative creative approach means that the creators become knowledgeable and convincing ambassadors for your brand.
Hashtag Challenges ensure your brand's message is front and centre when the content is created… they then become spokespersons for you.
Carolyn Nephew, Senior Manager, Performance Media, Reckitt Benckiser
Truth 3: Music hits the right key
We know that music is a unique strength of TikTok, as sound is on by default.
The use of music and sound in short form video is a game changer. Music evokes emotions and forms memories, and the use of sound greatly increases engagement.
A catchy and unique soundtrack can make a Hashtag Challenge both recognisable and memorable. Motion challenges are the most popular format, and it is crucial to pair the right music to the right choreography to create something distinct.
The track was a vital part of the challenge’s success, having a piece of audio which is instantly recognizable was essential.
Chloe Bebbington, Social Media Marketing Manager, River Island
Music hits the right key: Case Study
Case study:
e.l.f. #EyesLipsFace challenge
e.l.f. #EyesLipsFace challenge
Business need:
This beauty brand wanted to engage consumers through TikTok in a fun, innovative way.
Strategy:
They created a song especially for their #EyesLipsFace challenge. The song, made in partnership with ILL Wayno and featuring Holla FyeSixWun, was enormously popular.
Results:
Fans created 3 million TikTok videos. The challenge was so compelling that influencers and celebrities - including ‘Kombucha Girl’ and actress Jessica Alba - got involved. These videos gained over 4 billion views.
10 Truths About TikTok
Truths 4-6: Why TikTok can work for you
Why TikTok can work for you
Misconceptions about TikTok abound. The excitement surrounding the platform can sometimes be muddied by false assumptions.
TikTok not only appeals to a wider audience than it might seem, but that audience is eager to be involved.
There are three aspects to understanding why TikTok can work for your brand.
Truth 4: The TikTok audience is broader than you think
Truth 5: TikTok is for all brands, in every category
Truth 6: TikTok may shorten the funnel
Truth 4: The TikTok audience is broader than you think
It is easy to assume TikTok is only useful if you want to raise awareness amongst Gen Z.
Both our experts and the data prove otherwise. The age range involved in TikTok is much broader than people imagine. 32% of Global TikTok users are aged 25-34.
Our experts all agreed that while TikTok is undeniably powerful at reaching younger audiences, the platform is swiftly attracting older users.
The platform is ageing up quite quickly. The brands that will do well are those that are … there to capitalise as the audience expands further.
Lewis Steel, Head of Social & Content, Connecting Plots
TikTok is seeing a big shift also towards millennials - and older users are not only watching anymore, but actually joining hashtag challenges.
Alessandro Bogliari, Co-Founder & CEO, The Influencer Marketing Factory
They also point out that the events of 2020 have sped this process up.
The great lockdown globally will contribute to this as, during the crisis, we’ve seen growth in users - and more users are creating content for the first time with their family.
Dan Wong, General Manager, Clicks Communication
Truth 5: TikTok is for all brands, in every category
People might think that TikTok is only suitable for playful brands aimed at young people.
Certainly, fashion, make up and sporting brands with lively personalities have gained success, but other brands should not feel excluded.
Unexpected brands such as The Washington Post, HP computers, Mucinex cold medicine and the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development have all found creative ways to use the platform.
Our experts agreed that any brand aiming to reach Gen Z and Millennials should consider TikTok.
I think TikTok is suitable for almost any brand.
Peter Petermann, Chief Strategy Officer, Wavemaker
All brands that are active in social media should include TikTok as part of their marketing mix.
Beckie Turnbull, Social Media Manager, PrettyLittleThing
Almost all brands looking for conversions from Gen Z or Millennials.
Alexander Mishutin, Group Account Director, Carat
The only brands which should stay away from the platform are those which are not willing to let go and pass the torch on to the TikTok community.
Brands that might not see TikTok as their natural habitat should work to understand the platform more fully, and see how the right creative idea can help them to communicate with hard-to-reach audiences.
Truth 6: TikTok may shorten the funnel
We know that TikTok can drive brand awareness and intent - and innovative new features aim to reduce the gap between this awareness and purchase.
The results of Hashtag Challenges have so far focused on engagement, awareness, consideration and intent, but brands are beginning to chart footfall, sales and site visits. We are in the early days of seeing how TikTok can shorten the marketing funnel.
Some of our clients have seen an increase in clicks to the app store or also more visits to the eCommerce.
Alessandro Bogliari, Co-Founder & CEO, The Influencer Marketing Factory
CASE STUDY - McDonalds
When McDonalds Japan ran their #TiroRetune Hashtag Challenge - where an affordable meal deal was linked to catchy music and choreography - this challenge led to 4,000 videos being created, with 2.7 million views, and an increase in store visits from hard-to-reach digital natives during the campaign.
Physical store visits have increased during the Hashtag Challenge. The visit rate increased for those who were exposed to the challenge.
Mr. Taku Meguro, Vice President, Cyber Communications Inc.
Source for chart, left:
Kantar Norms Index benchmarking Lift from 24 Kantar-measured TikTok campaigns
TikTok Survey Sample Size (test: 95.1k, control 79.9k)
Kantar Norms v2 (Exact question wording may vary per campaign)
Hashtag Challenges have begun to show an impact on offline behaviour.
Brands are also finding new ways to engage people beyond the Hashtag Challenge itself
• Following their #Glowingout campaign, River Island saw 90% of visitors to riverisland.com were ‘new users’. They are exploring ways to enhance the customer journey by creating specific webpage experiences for different social channels.
• Reckitt Benckiser plan to retarget users who engaged in the challenges and push them down the funnel from awareness to consideration, and even purchase.
While TikTok’s impact on awareness and intent are impressive, they are not unexpected in a new platform. Other platforms have shown strong results initially, only to see them drop. TikTok’s innovative new features strive to stall such a decline.
Shortening the funnel: 2 key case studies
Case study 1:
McDonald's
Business need:
McDonalds wanted to target the digital native generation to gain recognition and promote store visits with affordable set menus that can be bought with one coin.
Strategy:
#TiroRetune paid particular attention to the value that you can buy a burger/side/drink 3-piece meal set for 500 yen, in an easy-to-understand way and visually. The music was catchy, and the choreography was something people wanted to imitate.
Results:
3k people entered, creating 4k videos which resulted in 2.7m seeing the videos. McDonalds reported an increase in store visits during the campaign.
Case study 2:
River Island #GlowingOut challenge
River Island #GlowingOut challenge
Business need:
The aim was to launch the challenge a week before Black Friday to drive River Island’s (RI) share of voice within the audience base for party wear, as well as drive new users to site.
Strategy:
RI worked with a total of 8 creators who created videos to start off the challenge - essentially showing users what they needed to do. These all out-performed expectations. In-Feed Ads were also used to show more products on site.
Results:
38k people entered, creating 76k videos which were seen by 17.3 million users. In addition 90% of the users from the campaign who came to riverisland.com were all 'new users.'
10 Truths About TikTok
Truths 7-10: How to get the best from TikTok.
How to get the best from TikTok
The potential power of TikTok is clear, but it is vital to understand how to get the best from the platform.
TikTok is different from other platforms, and Hashtag Challenges require a distinct approach.
TikTok shouldn't be considered as a 'standard' advertising platform but rather a platform that enhances the chances you've got to boost consideration on your brand & product.
MariaLaura Del Naia, Digital Media Specialist for Selection
There are four elements to understand when thinking about how best to approach TikTok Hashtag Challenges.
Truth 7: Allow users creative freedom
Truth 8: Simple is best
Truth 9: Link Hashtag Challenges to offline events
Truth 10: Use TikTok as part of the marketing ecosystem
Truth 7: Allow users creative freedom
Brands need to be prepared to let go and allow users freedom to play.
It always takes bravery for a brand to give up control over how they show up in the world. User-generated content always has an element of risk.
For TikTok Hashtag Challenges to work, users have to be granted the autonomy to create.
A hashtag challenge is one of the various ways of giving a springboard to the creativity of users… so we need to respect them for their own freedom in content creation.
Arindam Bhattacharyya, Chief Strategy Officer - Media and Performance, Dentsu Aegis Network
But control does not have to be given up entirely. TikTok has features that balance user creativity with maintaining some content management.
This can happen upfront, in the conception of a Hashtag Challenge, where it is important to make sure the content requested is tightly aligned with brand strategy.
Carefully consider how closely the brand is tied to the challenge, so that the UGC is driving value… balance native-feel content with clear brand cues.
Lewis Steel, Head of Social & Content, Connecting Plots
Control can also be exercised once a challenge is launched. TikTok works with brands to curate their Hashtag Challenge Page and has measures in place to help ensure inappropriate user-generated content is removed in a timely manner.
You can sit back and watch all of the great content come in while ensuring anything inappropriate is taken down immediately.
Carolyn Nephew, Senior Manager, Performance Media, Reckitt Benckiser
Brands which have concerns about letting go or try and exercise too much control should work with creators as they know their audience better than anyone. There are engaging and unique opportunities for brands which are willing to collaborate.
Users can also collaborate during a campaign to make it stronger - if brands are willing to be agile.
Consumers can come up with unexpected ideas, which can then be built and spread further.
Ms. Yuki Nabeta, Senior Brand Manager, Reckitt Benckiser
Truth 8: Simple is best
TikTok is special because anyone can get involved. Challenges should be simple to take part in.
People will engage far less if the challenge is complex or asks too much of them.
Dancing is popular, but don’t create super choreography.
Alexander Mishutin, Group Account Director, Carat
The most successful challenges are based on the existing platform behaviours. The barrier to involvement is low, and they feel relatable. The brand should feel like a natural part of the challenge, and they should never feel too much like a sales pitch.
[They should be] relatable and easy to jump on… making it too "commercial" or "pushy" could have the opposite outcome. It's always better to softly include the product/service to promote in a challenge….in this way users will more likely share it and participate.
Alessandro Bogliari, Co-Founder & CEO, The Influencer Marketing Factory
Ease is important, but so is inspiration.
Hashtag Challenges should inspire rather than constrain, and always leave room for people to be creative. Keeping the challenge simple, but empowering people with exciting creative features is the perfect combination. These features provide some simple levers to encourage compelling content that is in tune with the brand.
It would be great if the brands use the full functions of the platform to help the users generate the content the Brands want to see… So we recommend the brands create special branded masks, effects, super likes, music and so on.
Maria Troitskaya, Planning Group Head, Carat
Truth 9: Link Hashtag Challenges to offline events
Hashtag Challenges can be linked to real life events to gain attention and engagement.
Many successful Hashtag Challenges have been focused on offline celebrations and events, such as Halloween, Christmas and Black Friday. It is a simple way to create excitement, and to stand in out in competitive times of the year.
We were actually surprised by the amount of men who got involved in the challenge. It was great to see that they are engaging in this channel, and somewhere we can target them.
Chloe Bebbington, Social Media Marketing Manager, River Island
Link Hashtag Challenges to Offline Events: Key case studies
Case study 1:
Mucinex #BeatTheZombieFunk challenge
Mucinex #BeatTheZombieFunk challenge
Business need:
Mucinex (OTC cold and flu medicine) wanted to raise awareness amongst a younger audience. The brand wanted users to join the Hashtag Challenge and measured success by the number of views and videos submitted.
Strategy:
They based their challenge around Halloween. The essence of the #BeatTheZombieFunk challenge is for users to use Branded Effects and dance the official choreography to the music defined by Mucinex and use the hashtag #BeatTheZombieFunk.
Results:
515k people entered, creating 1.1m videos which resulted in 1.2B video views. The challenge increased brand awareness and purchase intent, but Mucinex were not able to tie this to actual sales.
Simple Creator-led Choreography Helps Ensure Wider Participation:
Truth 10: Use TikTok as part of the marketing ecosystem
TikTok can work alone or alongside other marketing activities to reach new audiences.
When our experts were asked if TikTok works as a standalone platform or linked to other media activity, they all agreed it could be both. It simply depends on the audience that is being targeted.
It can be a stand-alone if solely for Gen Z - or it can become an additional social media acquisition channel to amplify the message to Gen Z & Millennials if the core audience is older generations.
Alessandro Bogliari, Co-Founder & CEO, The Influencer Marketing Factory
TikTok can be a powerful way to amplify the messages of TV ads or social media, and to engage hard-to-reach audiences.
It absolutely makes sense for TikTok to form a part of an integrated campaign. It can help to reach additional audiences… that are harder to reach with traditional channels, and achieve greater cut-through than many other channels that are much more saturated with advertising.
Lewis Steel, Head of Social & Content, Connecting Plots
When it is the only channel chosen for a campaign it is only because we use this platform as a bridge from offline to online.
MariaLaura Del Naia, Digital Media Specialist, Selection
TikTok can work alongside other platforms to create the greatest buzz and engagement.
I believe TikTok can be used as a strategic platform if interconnectedness with all other conventional, digital and social media are contemplated when campaigns are designed.
Mr Masahiro Ando, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe
Use TikTok as part of the Marketing Ecosystem: 2 Key case studies
Case study 1:
Milofreestyle
Business need:
A digital and social extension of a TV Commercial for Milo (Nestle) to target the teen and young adult audience in a more participative environment where they believed they could have a large impact on brand affinity.
Strategy:
Given the Above The Line campaign was about sport TikTok was chosen as a suitable platform. #MILOfreestyle was launched with users asked to show their freestyle (soccer) goals.
The Pivot:
The campaign triggered comments such as “can I do this with a rugby ball?” and “what about a basketball?” so they quickly encouraged videos for other sports.
Results:
The increase from other sports was immediate with the campaign exceeding all KPIs.
Case study 2:
Walmart #DealDropDance challenge
Walmart #DealDropDance challenge
Business need:
Walmart sought top optimise Black Friday sales with an innovative and engaging new campaign.
Strategy:
Walmart launched a Black Friday campaign, using celebrities such as Terry Crews and Rebel Wilson. Fans were encouraged to post videos set to a Lizzo track to #DealDropDance for the chance to win a $100 gift card.
Results:
328k people entered, creating 728k videos which were seen by 81.2 million users on TikTok. Crucially, the celebrities posted content on other platforms - resulting in 234m impressions on Twitter and 110k on Facebook.
What This Means For You
TikTok is generating huge excitement, and our research shows that it is uniquely placed to capture imaginations.
TikTok is distinct from other platforms, and can offer a level of engagement that is unprecedented. It also has a far wider reach than we might assume, and can be successful even for brands that you might not expect.
With a knowledge of the platform, and the way its users behave, it is possible to unlock great rewards - and to create breakthrough, brand-building user-generated content at scale
We believe the future of TikTok - and particularly Hashtag Challenges - will see user-generated content existing far less in isolation. We’re already seeing TikTok working alongside other activities in wider media campaigns, and brands will look to extend the experience of Hashtag Challenges beyond the original mechanism.
Brands should think about how to amplify the content beyond just the TikTok platform.
Carolyn Nephew, Senior Manager, Performance Media, Reckitt Benckiser
We also expect to see brands creating on-going Hashtag Challenge campaigns, not just one-offs. They will develop new iterations of the original idea, letting the narrative and engagement grow over time.
The future of TikTok will see more brands taking the leap to encouraging user-generated content that has both high engagement and substantial scale. They will learn how best to harness the power of TikTok, and the unique eagerness of its users to be involved.
There's a willingness to participate with brand activity on TikTok that isn't seen on other platforms.
Lewis Steel, Head of Social & Content, Connecting Plots
