More and more brands are taking their story to TikTok. It’s no surprise: TikTok has over 689 million active users, and 90% of those users access the platform daily (Sprout Social). Companies utilizing influencer marketing can expect more return on their investment by incorporating TikTok into their social media mix, as the platform boasts top engagement with every type of influencer (Influencer Marketing Hub). These benefits and the massive growth TikTok has seen in the last few years make it a key consideration for a brand’s social media strategy today.
Let’s look at six brands who entered TikTok successfully with engaging, creative content.
#1 Levi’s
Levi’s demonstrated savvy performance on TikTok before launching their brand account by partnering with influencers to promote their products. For their first TikTok, a young woman is faced with the task of making the very first Levi’s TikTok at home. A day-in-the-life vlog quickly transforms into a dynamic visual experience showcasing the classic jeans.
Why we love it: Levi’s cleverly contributed to the popular get-ready-with-me content on TikTok, giving their first video a personal feel. There was just enough story told to get viewers to root for their TikToker’s success, and that story ended with an engaging visual showcase of their product.
Stats: 5.1 M plays, 323.K likes, 1691 comments, 970 shares
#2 Ocean Spray
A viral video by Tiktok user Nathan Apodaca was Ocean Spray’s ticket to TikTok success. It featured Apodaca skateboarding on the side of a highway to Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ drinking an Ocean Spray cranberry juice. Taking advantage of the video’s bizarre success, Ocean Spray’s first TikTok begins with Apodaca’s video, then other users who followed his example appear on each beat of the music.
Why we love it: Ocean Spray celebrated user-generated content and didn’t try to overcomplicate what TikTokers were already doing well. They also used branded hashtags such as #cranberrydreams and #dreamschallenge to boost the trend.
Stats: 745.5K plays, 100.2K likes, 1199 comments, 1555 shares
#3 Aerie
Aerie’s #AerieREAL campaign featuring models of different body types and no retouching has been an ongoing success on other social platforms. Their first TikTok celebrates the 6th anniversary of the campaign. They also partnered with Charli Damelio, the most-followed TikToker on the app, to boost their launch.
Why we love it: Aerie expanded a successful campaign to a new platform where it was destined to succeed. TikTok is a hub for the body positivity movement with a user base full of young women and girls. By partnering with a top influencer to increase profile visits, Aerie created a popular example of branded content and boosted the well-known #AerieREAL campaign. They may not have had the same explosive virality as other brands, but a modest brand account following and successful influencer partnerships give Aerie a solid presence on the platform.
Stats: 159.2K plays, 15.2K likes, 258 comments, 75 shares
#4 Gushers
Sometimes you just have to get weird. Gushers entered TikTok with a curious twist by featuring a teenager on a casual fishing trip. However, no fish are involved: the bait is Gushers candy, and the catch is his human best friend.
Why we love it: This one has us hook, line, and sinker. The premise is so odd that you watch the whole thing, while peppy music and teens having fun present a friendly, fun brand image. Many comments showed that most people didn’t recognize the TikTok as an ad until the very end, keeping them engaged.
Stats: 4.8M plays, 422.7K likes, 1117 comments, 4669 shares
#5 Crocs
Crocs first TikTok was decently successful, but their second was more dynamic and effective for the brand. They leaned heavily on influencer Aydon Holley to promote their page. Holley does an impressive front flip off his roof with a green smoke bomb into the pool below, then comes out of the water and announces, with product in hand, that Crocs has a TikTok. Holley then taps directly into his follower base on behalf of the brand, saying that everyone who follows Crocs will receive a follow from him.
Why we love it: Like the Gushers TikTok, you wouldn’t expect this TikTok to be an ad until you get to the end. By having Holley explicitly tell viewers to follow the brand, Crocs initiated a powerful call-to-action that served them well. Most importantly, though, the flip off the roof was super cool.
Stats: 1.2M plays, 309.4K likes, 1737 comments, 1428 shares
#6 Starbucks
No surprise: Starbucks was welcomed to the platform by teens and young adults who fuel up with their drinks every day. Joining the yearly buzz about Starbucks fall drinks, this TikTok shows two branded cups have a debate about which of them loves the autumn season more. When you’re looking to humanize your product, this is about as good as it gets.
Why we love it: Obvious promotion of the legendary brand, awareness of consumer conversation, and simplicity set this first TikTok apart. Movement and captions make the post an easy, satisfying watch. It also allowed a smooth transition to invite influencers to the page to promote the brand with user-generated content.
Stats: 363.6K plays, 74.5K likes, 8374 comments, 270 shares
All in all, there’s no one-size-fits-all, perfect way to launch your brand’s TikTok. Based on these successes, we recommend these best practices:
- Capitalize on what your brand already does well.
- Partner with relevant influencers.
- Display your brand’s personality and make it relatable.
Happy TikToking!
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