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It's no secret that ad spend needs to work harder than ever in this volatile economic climate. As brands fight for attention, campaigns need to deliver results. But that doesn't mean dialling back on creativity: quite the opposite, in fact.
"Creativity is now one of your most valuable variables," says Kris Boger, general manager, global business solutions UK at TikTok. "Creativity fuels entertainment, and entertainment fuels action. In the age of fragmentation, creativity is a superpower for performance marketers to stand out and drive direct action in a collapsed sales funnel."
Rather than pursuing disruptive advertising strategies that shout for attention, the onus is on brands to augment and enhance a user's experience, rather than detracting from it. "Ad content types have changed dramatically," explains Sophie Drury, global social media and community manager for KitKat at Nestlé. "Consumers don't just visit brands online for enquiries, but for an engaging experience they can share with their friends."
Put your own spin on trends
How smart creativity
drives results on TikTok
"Authenticity is what makes a brand go from good to great on TikTok."
— Sophie Drury, KitKat
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Download the Creative Codebook to discover five essential codes to convert creativity on TikTok, and decode the power of performance storytelling
From sounds and filters to entire content structures, trends are TikTok's social currency – and it pays for brands to stay abreast of them to catch the wave at just the right time. But that doesn't mean jumping on the bandwagon in the pursuit of popularity: there are plenty of opportunities for brands to inject their own voice and personality.
"Authenticity is what makes a brand go from good to great on TikTok," says Drury. "Choosing trends wisely will help determine this success, be that a fleeting overnight trend or an everlasting platform theme. TikTok's native content style enables brands to be more free, creative, and raw with their messaging.”
"Know what topics and areas of conversation your brand can naturally play in," suggests Boger. "Consider trends across a spectrum: from fleeting everyday TikTok ‘Moments’, like 'Jiggle Jiggle', to lasting, cultural forces and behavioural shifts – such as social commerce. Moments will have a more rigid content structure, so think about what makes sense for your brand."
Wider societal trends or behaviours – such as consumers' focus on sustainability – require more creative planning, but playing an active role in culture can move the needle on performance as well as brand perception. According to a 2021 TikTok study by Material, a brand's cultural involvement is responsible for 25% of a consumer's purchase decision.
Tapping into micro-communities on TikTok can also be hugely effective. With over 78 billion views and counting, the #CleanTok hashtag puts a fresh twist on a once mundane task: a place to share hacks, tips, recommendations and more. "Cleaning brands can tap into this passion for cleaning by showcasing their new products, or partnering with a clean creator," explains Boger, highlighting a new partnership between Unilever, Gravity Road and Mindshare to co-create and curate content for TikTok’s global community of cleaning fans.
This approach also works in other categories: to promote KitKat Bites, for instance, Nestlé tapped into the enduring popularity of product reviews and trials on TikTok. Taking on the central premise of a broader multi-touchpoint campaign for the snack – ‘How would you describe KitKat Bites?’ – TikTok creators shared adjectives like ‘crispy’, ‘yummy’, and ‘chocolatey’, in a playful, lo-fi way.
In one example, the creator tosses the pack out of frame and catches it again in various different settings; another sees hungry friends suddenly popping their heads into shot hoping for a taste. Simple, but demonstrably effective: the campaign achieved a two-second view-through rate of 18.6% – 46% above benchmark – and a 44-point lift in ad recall.
Creator partnerships can give brands credibility and authenticity, and ensure content has both the reach and entertainment value it needs to engage audiences. It also makes branded content feel native, which is key to gaining traction: according to a 2021 TikTok study conducted by Mindlab, native ads on TikTok over-index on ad completion rate by 13% and are 47% more likely to drive action than non-native ones.
Besides working with creators, brands can follow some fundamental rules to achieve that native look and feel. For instance, go lo-fi, shoot in 9:16, and use sound wherever possible. "Then look to wider platform trends and formats – from product reviews, to putting a spin on trending sounds with your brand voice, to unboxing," adds Boger.
Mobilise relevant micro-communities
Some brands can carry humour. Others can't. But you don't have to be funny to be entertaining: Boger points to the rise in so-called 'edutainment' as evidence that learning about something new and interesting can be just as entertaining and well-received.
"Play where your brand feels most comfortable," is his advice. "If you're going down the humour route, develop a brand voice that lets you tap into these moments authentically. Relate it back to your brand mission or values and try to have fun without feeling too much pressure to be funny."
Entertainment engages, but when it comes to driving performance it's vital to signpost people in the right direction afterwards. A TikTok study conducted by Kantar in 2021 revealed that over three-quarters of top-performing conversion campaigns on the platform feature a clear call to action, and with good reason: the study also showed that purchase intent more than doubles when a CTA is present. In the case of the KitKat Bites campaign, this ranged from a written overlay – ‘Try for yourself!’ – to a more playful final frame with lots of fingers pointing at a packshot.
Consider the value of edutainment
As audiences continue to fragment across multiple channels, keeping track of performance in a meaningful way can be challenging. "Attribution is becoming more important – but it's also becoming harder, because increased privacy concerns and data regulation leads to fewer signals," explains Boger.
Conventional last-click attribution simply can't reflect the nuances of the modern digital landscape. "Traditionally, 100% of conversion credit has been assigned to the last touchpoint in the consumer journey," he continues. But according to a recent KnoCommerce survey by TikTok, over three-quarters of conversions – attributed to TikTok by users themselves – were missed by this approach.
"Performance marketers need accurate attribution models and comprehensive measurement tools to understand the effectiveness of their campaigns and allocate resources effectively," Boger adds. He advocates a more holistic framework, supplementing attribution with incrementality solutions, such as conversion lift studies, as well as qualitative measurement through post-purchase surveys.
Rethink how you measure success
Once you've landed on a creative idea that delivers results, there's a skill to building momentum and maximising longevity without overstretching it or, worse, boring people by overstaying your welcome. As soon as your campaign stops being entertaining, engagement and performance is sure to drop.
"Break your creative into a structure where you can swap out variations, so you deliver more assets from one single idea," suggests Boger. "Swap out hooks at the beginning, change the focus on messaging in the middle, or end with different CTAs to reduce creative fatigue. Changing aesthetic features – like overlays, music and even transitions – can also help reduce user fatigue without the need for multiple campaign concepts."
Boger suggests using your brand's organic content strategy to continually test and learn. "See what works, and what the community responds to – and use those insights to build your creative strategy for your paid ads," he says. "You can even boost high-performing videos as ads themselves."
"Step out of your comfort zone," adds Drury. "There’s a world of possibilities for creative advertising, both organic and paid. Be bold, be brave, and be true to your brand."
Mix things up to keep it fresh