Keyword: Tiktok marketing
Despite being created nearly a decade ago, Tik Tok only went viral in the past 2 years.
This is because Zhang Yiming, the founder of the app, introduced it to the international market in 2018.
Talk about making the right marketing decision, because Yiming made $3 billion from Byte Dance, the parent company of Tik Tok, just in the last year:
As you can see, it’s most popularly used in the US, and while it is a video-sharing service for consumers, marketers can take advantage of it as well.
How so?
Today, anything that is trending is an opportunity as a marketing platform.
Thus, I will be listing the most prominent tiktok marketing examples which are proof that creative marketing has no boundaries:
#1. Guess
This is an interesting tiktok marketing example, considering Guess has a very classy brand personality as a result of its designer products and Tik tok is a very casual app with mainly funny videos.
However, Guess launched the perfect campaign in keeping with its brand personality:
@kuhleeuh Had a fun day #inmydenim ✨👖✨ @guess #style #OOTD
♬ original sound – Kalia 🎤❤
The #inmydemin challenge has currently reached more than 5 million views and many of Guess’s followers have posted similar content using the hashtag; thus, making it go viral.
Plus, even though Guess is new to the app, it already has 40,000 followers.
And that’s not even the best part.
Currently, no major fashion brand is available on the app, giving Guess a significant competitive advantage because that is what marketing is all about these days.
Customers are so overwhelmed by marketing campaigns because that’s all they see on Facebook, Instagram, Google and other platforms, which is why you need to find a platform that competitors are not active on.
This way, when they only see your content, they’ll pay more attention to it.
In this case, Guess has the ‘first-mover advantage’ because it built its profile on Tik Tok before other fashion brands.
Plus, by the time other brands capitalize on this opportunity, the app may already be out of trend.
#2. Chipotle
One of the main reasons Tik Tok became so viral is because users created humorous content, and incorporating humor into your marketing strategy is a given win.
This is what makes this tiktok marketing example one of my personal favorites.
Chipotle, the Mexican fast-food chain, came up with this ingenious video:
@chipotle The internet is wild #oneyearoftiktok
♬ #Me at the concert – Tik Toker
They created this on the app’s one year anniversary; thus, the hashtag #oneyearoftiktok was used.
Not only did they choose a song that everybody on this planet can relate with (I mean, who didn’t listen to it after getting their heart broken?) but they put a hilarious spin to it by relating it to food.
All jokes apart, they also cleverly showcased one of their products in the video as well.
It wasn’t just this video that went viral.
The brand seems to have an amazing marketing team that keeps producing funny content for viewers, for example, a jab at millennials who can’t pronounce the brand’s name correctly:
@chipotle Does ur fave boomer pronounce “chipotle” perfectly or are they normal? @jacksoncaldwell98 @karli_killa @lizzievenditti @katieeraj #chipotle #fyp
♬ original sound – Chipotle
It’s memes like this which are the reason why Chipotle currently has more than half a million followers on the app.
Also, if you’re really looking for inspiration, Chipotle’s Boorito challenge was a huge success.
It offered a discount on its menu items to followers who wore scary Halloween costumes and posted their picture with the hashtag #Boorito and #contest.
The brand even hired influencers like Jiff Pom and Zack King to promote its campaign, something that is really effective in boosting awareness, if you have the budget for it.
#3. The Washington Post
Again, this is a surprising tiktok marketing example, because what’s a newspaper publishing company doing on this app?!
It turns out, just because the nature of your industry is serious, doesn’t mean you can’t crack up followers with hilarious videos.
The Washington Post creates behind the scenes content of employees in the office as well as memes related to the industry.
Here’s a light jab at LinkedIn that will definitely make you laugh:
@washingtonpost Your profile is looking great 👍
♬ original sound – We are a newspaper.
The lesson to learn: you can turn light-hearted, workplace jokes into part of your marketing strategy to boost brand awareness and social media following.
#4. Vessi
If you’re based within the US, you may not be familiar with the brand Vessi.
It’s a trendy footwear brand focused on millennials, based in Canada.
Vessi used a very popular strategy on an entirely new platform to gain followers: giveaways.
@vessi Win 2 pairs of Vessi’s: follow us, like this video, & tag a friend! @ellybellyhehe #nomorewetsocks #giveaway #waterproofshoes #greenscreensticker
♬ original sound – Vessi
By hosting Tik tok contests, the brand was able to get more than 1 million followers!
That’s better than any other brand I’ve listed here, so if you want to increase your following through this strategy, it’s pretty effective.
Plus, Vessi also uses this platform to keep followers updated on whatever the brand is up to, for example, how it recently donated face masks for COVID-19.
#5. NBA
Just like the Washington Post, NBA uses tik tok as a platform to post light-hearted content, contrary to their other social media platforms where only pictures and videos of games are uploaded.
If you open up their profile, you’ll see hilarious content like courtside highlights and halftime shenanigans that will turn your day around.
A lot of the NBA’s TikTok content allows fans to see what their favorite players are like on and off the court. This helps fans empathise with players and become more invested in their basketball careers.
@nba 🔥 The Beard is Fired Up! 🚀 @houstonrockets #NBAPlayoffs #nba
♬ Stranger – CHUNNYT
By focusing on all aspects surrounding basketball and the experiences of our favorite players, the NBA TikTok channel succeeds in giving an all-inclusive experience to those who love the league for its competitiveness and enthusiasm.
#6. GymShark
While most fitness brands mostly upload workout videos, Gymshark has found a way to produce fresh, engaging content.
Their profile boasts a catalogue of videos geared towards marketing merchandise in engaging, dynamic, and even funny content.
GymShark’s marketing strategy involves being a bit liberal with the word gym, allowing it to include any activity that involves training and strengthening.
This allows them to include boxing, soccer, swimming, and even dance videos to curate enjoyable and marketable content while expanding on their fanbase.
@gymshark @demibagby caught @kingrygarcia out 🤣 tag someone you’d do this to 😎 #gymshark #caughtout
♬ Ayy Ladies – Travis Porter
A microcosm of this strategy, this video is the perfect example of how GymShark endears its fanbase with boxing and dance whilst marketing their merchandise at the same time.
You won’t see many brands as self aware as this one.
#7 United Nations IFAD
As far as marketing goes, it’s unlikely to expect NGOs or government organizations to be invested in promoting themselves.
However, that is precisely what makes the United Nations IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) so intriguing.
As a promoter for planetary sustainability, the United Nations IFAD account is a regular feature on TikTok, uploading incisive and artful content about rural farming.
Make no mistake, these videos are meant to be informative and they are even scripted to convey the direness of their message.
It’s a hard task juggling engaging content with important, albeit inconvenient, truths but the artistic direction and shrewd messaging of United Nations IFAD is a masterclass for all non-profit organizations to get their message across.
It’s not like the United Nations IFAD doesn’t rely on community engagement to spread awareness as well.
Recently, the TikTok account launched the #danceforchange hashtag and encouraged community members to partake if they wanted to affect any sort of positive change.
@ifad @sherriesilver Together we can feed the world 🌎 ❤️👊🏽 @mreazi let’s #danceforchange
♬ Freedom – Mr Eazi & GuiltyBeatz & J.Derobie
The turnout was far better than anticipated, as it allowed people to spread awareness about dry topics like farming through dance and social media.
The moral here is that delivering your message in a smart and calculated manner is always a good idea.
#8. San Diego Zoo
This one needs no explanation. It’s obvious that a zoo filled with nature’s cutest and fiercest would never be short on marketing content.
Now we’ve covered some unorthodox and unconventional marketing strategies but sometimes you don’t need to challenge yourself when you’re sitting on a marketing gold mine.
@sandiegozoo SoCal vibes 😎 #ChasingHappiness #animals #meerkats #sandiegozoo #classdismissed
♬ Ooh Ahh (My Life Be Like) – Grits
Now as brilliant as some of the ideas in this post are, they still might not be able to pry my eyes away from that meerkat. I mean is that how they normally lie down?
Anyway, San Diego Zoo maximizes the marketability of its animals, giving all of us cute and funny animal videos nonstop.
Sure, there is little to no scripting or curating content but there doesn’t have to be. Because sometimes, just sometimes, the content is perfect the way it is.
Utilising Tiktok marketing for your brand
As important as it is to get inspiration from other brands to help you out in your marketing strategy, it is also crucial to know which direction to go in because every brand should be unique.
Follow a similar structure, but come up with your own ideas.
Here are some tips and tricks from HubSpot that are guaranteed to ensure a successful presence on Tik Tok:
- Post light-hearted content
Now you’ll notice one similarity between all these marketing examples which is that no matter which industry they belong to, all of them use Tik tok as a fun platform.
Every business revealed their hilarious side on this platform and it’s time for you to do the same.
This may also be part of a movement to connect more with followers and customers, because no matter what the size of a business, consumers now demand transparency and personal connections in order to trust a brand.
Even though the two may not be linked directly, making the effort of marketing on Tik Tok can make all the difference in gaining the trust of followers.
If they feel like they know you, they will definitely want to purchase from you.
However, at the same time, you have to have a great content curator on your team that can produce quality content.
It is very important to ensure that your content is unique and good enough to go viral.
- Make sure you engage your followers
Another very important tip to keep in mind is that your job does not end at creating and posting content.
You will notice that many brands opted for the option of giveaways and contests because these days, consumers will not follow you just on the basis of good content.
In order to motivate them, you can either opt for contests or if you’re on a tight budget, make it a point to engage with followers in comments, re-posts etc.
The concept of customer loyalty applies here: your existing followers are loyal to your brand so it is extremely crucial to keep them satisfied so that they advocate your brand to friends and family.
Plus, word of mouth is the most trust rich form of communication with 92% of individuals relying on the suggestions of friends and family so you’ll be using existing followers to gain new ones.
Less effort, more followers. It’s a win-win!
Conclusion
I hope these TikTok marketing examples gave you the motivation that you needed to start your own profile.
Whether you run a startup, a large business or even a blog, Tik Tok is a great way to create brand awareness and to get to know your followers.
It’s a platform that has made it easier for every individual that has talent to gain fame within days.
If you’re marketing for your brand, I’d say go for it because it is an amazing opportunity which costs almost nothing and can bring you heavy gains.
Plus, you can integrate it with your social media platforms so that it becomes easier for your followers to discover you on Tik Tok.