Xmas CR

With the right TikTok strategy, your brand can reach a highly engaged audience primed to spend their post-Christmas cash

Advertising feature

The global peak trading of Q4 can make or break the year for many brands and retailers. One after another, major retailers’ Christmas ads are released to a frenzy of analysis, critique, and acclaim, and digital campaigns on platforms like TikTok reach a crescendo as people seek ideas for gifts, recipes, decorations and more. This year’s TikTok Advent campaign captures that spirit, amplifying some of the most engaged brands on the platform with a month of content and activities on the theme of ‘How To Christmas’. It includes helpful tips and tricks for the festive period from brands such as L’Oréal, Dyson and Paramount+, as well as charities including Dogs Trust and Save the Children, which celebrates its Christmas Jumper day on 7 December.

Engage a captive audience

Why TikTok campaigns aren’t just for Christmas

"Authenticity is what makes a brand go from good to great on TikTok."

— Sophie Drury, KitKat

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For more tips and tricks on how you get your campaigns Q5 and holiday ready, click here.

Marketers have historically focused on driving and fulfilling consumer demand in the run-up to Christmas – to the exclusion of all else. Between Christmas and New Year, it’s easy to assume that people are busy with family and friends, eating, playing games and watching more ‘traditional’ media than usual – and thoughts of shopping take a back seat. “But the way modern consumers spend their downtime has changed in recent years, thanks to the devices in our pockets,” explains Jewkes. “The limbo between Christmas and New Year sees consumers turning to TikTok to entertain themselves. Compared to a typical week, the vast majority of TikTok users (84%) will spend the same or more time browsing TikTok in Q5. And a similar percentage (82%) will spend the same or more time shopping.”* And while the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has suppressed spending in some categories, the flurry of cash and gift-card presents on Christmas Day is a game-changer. “This gives brands and retailers the opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience, primed to shop at any time of day or night – whatever the winter weather chucks at us,” adds Jewkes.

A vital difference between pre- and post-Christmas shopping is who the purchases are for. “This is the first time in perhaps a few months that many consumers feel justified enjoying a guilt-free purchase,” says Jewkes, who adds that almost 60% of TikTok users are shopping for themselves in Q5.* “It’s a mindset shift from ‘gifts for thee’ to ‘gifts for me’.” As many as 40% of TikTok users plan to shop for tech and electronics in Q5. “Gifts that people have received for Christmas may require additional accessories and peripherals,” Jewkes points out. “Many users will be activating new devices they’ve received for Christmas and, with that, brings a flurry of gaming and app downloads.” Around half of TikTok users are also looking for beauty and personal care items after Christmas, and seasonal triggers influence their fashion purchases: two-thirds are looking for outfits to lounge at home in; half seek something more stylish to dress up for occasions like New Year’s Eve; and a third are in the market for some new workout gear.* The food and beverage category provides low-hanging fruit too, as people continue to entertain family and friends: almost two-thirds of TikTok users think about buying food, including packaged snacks and chocolate, while browsing the platform in Q5.

Understand the mindset shift

TikTok revealed its entertainment playbook for brands in July

Research shows that TikTok users crave health and wellness content around the Q5 period.* “It’s no longer about striving for perfection or unattainable ideals, but how creators and brands can help them achieve their personal goals,” reveals Jewkes, who advises brands to weave products seamlessly into content about physical and mental betterment. Another topic that receives a high level of engagement on TikTok in Q5 is financial wellbeing. “TikTok users actively seek financial stability at the start of the year as the ‘new year, new me’ mindset kicks in,” explains Jewkes. “Brands have a brilliant opportunity to help people find financial success in the year ahead.” Almost a third of users turn to TikTok for help achieving such goals. “And this isn’t just an opportunity for finance brands,” he adds. “There’s all manner of cost-saving and financial management propositions to tap into, like loyalty schemes.” For fashion brands, Jewkes advocates working with creators on curated edits of winter-sale content, or highlights from the in-store shopping experience. “And limit those returns with ‘ways to wear’ and ‘haul’ content,” he adds. “Anything that showcases the versatility and quality of construction, and the visual appeal of those items in the first place.”

Embrace seasonal trends

The TikTok Advent campaign highlights Christmas content from creators and brands

Lidl's 'Ode to Bakery' won in the 'Greatest Creative' category

Reese's was shortlisted alongside Lidl for 'Greatest Creative'

Depending on how tailored your creative is to the anticipation of Christmas Day itself, it can pay to maintain consistency throughout Q5. “Re-cutting your existing creative can build credibility, trust and relevance,” explains Jewkes. “From evergreen content that’s true to your brand, to creative from your holiday campaign that deserves more screen time, building creative in Q5 doesn’t necessarily require anything new.” This could be music to the ears of time-strapped brands at a time where, typically, there is lots of annual leave. As well as a one-stop-shop to stay on top of trends on the platform, TikTok’s Creative Centre provides tools and inspiration to recut and relaunch high-performance ads. This includes all-in-one video editor CapCut, which enables easy reformatting of campaign creative. “The TikTok community loves turning to CapCut at the end of every month to stitch together their favourite moments,” explains Jewkes. “We predict an even higher volume of CapCut creativity in Q5, as people seek accessible, fun ways to reflect on their 2023.” Another perennially popular Q5 format is listicles. “From what we’re leaving behind in 2023, to what we’re taking with us into 2024, lists are a TikTok staple,” adds Jewkes. “While rarely definitive, they become topics of real-time debate. And for brands, they’re a great way to showcase bestselling and most-loved products of the year in their advertising creative – perhaps things that people forgot were on their wish list.”

Keep the momentum going

* Source: TikTok Marketing Science Global Custom Q5 Survey via AYTM (UK Results) 2023 (n=250)

For brands to gain real traction on TikTok, it’s not enough to just show up with a content schedule and a marketing playbook. Engaging, authentic, native-feeling content will go a long way, but the real prize lies in meaningful community engagement. “It’s about building trust through real connections, rather than this unhealthy obsession in our industry of grabbing attention through distraction tactics,” says Charlotte Parkes from TikTok’s marketing solutions team, speaking at a recent Festival of Marketing (FoM) workshop. “You need to deliver entertaining content that people actually want to see, rather than advertising that they try to block out.” “It’s important to develop a personality on TikTok,” agrees Mark Lynch, head of marketing at Peugeot UK. “You won’t do this by running adapted assets: you have to immerse yourself within TikTok and be entertaining as a brand. Of course, delivering a clear concise message is still at the heart of everything, but without that entertaining wrapper the audience will just scroll past.” Community engagement can give brands a competitive advantage: “It drives trust as well as brand performance,” Parkes points out. “This is a step-change in brand communications. Being ‘always in’ allows brands to be active, responsive and actually useful.”

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Why brands should be part of the community on TikTok

Encourage participation

But it’s a missed opportunity to dial back activity once the dust settles from the ‘big day’: with the right strategy in place, the so-called Q5 period from 26 December until mid-January can yield big rewards, helping brands end the year (and start the next) with a bang. While the concept of Q5 is relatively new in marketing terms, there are many longstanding misconceptions about consumer behaviour at that time of year. “We’ve defaulted to traditional Boxing Day and winter sales to clear stock and balance the books before year end,” says Gavin Jewkes, TikTok’s marketing solutions lead for EUI retail and ecommerce. “In reality the Q5 period is rich with potential,” Jewkes continues. “While the ad industry switches off to recharge its batteries over Yuletide, this is an opportunity to maximise the potential of shopping audiences cultivated during pre-Christmas peak trading.”