Alexis Kestler
TikTok has rapidly become one of the hottest platforms for brands looking to engage with younger audiences. With over 1 billion monthly active users, its creative short-form video content keeps users highly engaged. This presents a major opportunity for marketers – but only if done right.
In this post, we‘ll highlight 8 brands running some of the most successful TikTok campaigns in 2023 so far. Analyzing real-world examples that have created viral trends, leveraged influencers, and driven business results can provide valuable inspiration for your own TikTok marketing efforts.
What Makes TikTok Campaigns So Effective?
Before diving into the examples, it‘s helpful to level-set on why TikTok lends itself so well to impactful brand campaigns compared to other social platforms:
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The "For You" algorithm – TikTok‘s powerful recommendation engine surfaces the most engaging content. Creative campaigns can achieve huge organic reach.
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Bite-sized video format – Short videos keep users hooked while scrolling and work well for ads. Brands distill messages into fun, attention-grabbing content.
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Interactivity – Features like Duets and Stitch encourage participation and two-way engagement between brands and users.
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Influencer marketing – Collaborations with popular creators allow brands to tap into existing audiences. Hashtag challenges can go viral fast by influencer participation.
Understanding these dynamics is key to developing winning TikTok campaigns. Now let‘s check out some stellar examples any marketer can learn from.
1. Supergoop!
The skincare brand Supergoop! had great success working with TikTok influencers to promote daily SPF use. Their #SupergoopSunscream campaign enlisted creators to showcase the brand in creative videos aligned with Supergoop!‘s mission.
Results:
- 10.4M+ hashtag views
- 400K+ followers gained
- Significant increase in sales and brand awareness
2. Walmart
Retail giant Walmart was early to adopt TikTok for campaigns showcasing trendy affordable fashion available on Walmart.com. Their #OOTD and #GotItAtWalmart hashtags invite users to create haul videos and share their latest finds.
Results:
- 5B+ views on #GotItAtWalmart videos
- 34.5M+ Walmart page followers
- Boosted ecommerce traffic and app installs
3. Netflix
Entertainment leader Netflix has built a huge fanbase through addictive behind-the-scenes footage (like Stranger Things set tours) and partnerships with stars of popular Netflix shows. Movie and series launches are amplified via related TikTok trends.
Results:
- 34M+ followers (2nd most of any brand on TikTok)
- 162.5B+ Netflix page video views
- Significant viewership lifts for promoted titles
4. e.l.f. Cosmetics
e.l.f. Cosmetics engages beauty fans through hashtag challenges like their popular #eyeslipsface campaign featuring TikTok makeup tutorials. Their approachable, on-trend content resonates with Gen Z.
Results:
- 5.2M+ e.l.f. page followers
- 3.1B+ hashtag challenge views
- Revitalized consumer perception of brand
5. Gymshark
Fitness apparel retailer Gymshark launched one of TikTok‘s biggest ever branded challenges, #66DaysChallenge, promoting dedication to fitness goals. The campaign mobilized influencers and everyday users.
Results:
- 66 days challenge generated 818M+ views
- 3M+ Gymshark page followers
- Strong association with fitness motivation in consumers‘ minds
6. Marc Jacobs
Fashion and cosmetics label Marc Jacobs brings TikTok users backstage with quirky videos on new product launches, fashion weeks, and collaborations with popular creators through duets/stitched videos responding to fan reactions.
Results:
- 3.4M+ page followers
- 89M+ video views
- Increased brand sentiment and purchases
7. Fortnite
Gaming phenomenon Fortnite leveraged TikTok to showcase characters demonstrating viral TikTok dances and trends as a novel crossover between gaming content and culture. The account took off instantly.
Results:
- Gained 2.6M followers within first 16 posts
- New player acquisition and re-engaged lapsed users
8. Red Bull
Red Bull has run multiple successful challenges getting adrenaline-seeking fans to showcase thrilling extreme sports moments with branded hashtags. Their content provides prime inspiration for the brand‘s energetic target market.
Results:
- 3.1M+ Red Bull page followers
- Aligns consumer perception with brand identity
As you can see, all these winning TikTok campaigns incorporate creative concepts, influencer partnerships, participatory challenges, and on-brand content tailored to the platform.
How Can Brands Run Successful TikTok Campaigns?
1. Get on trending challenges – Assign an employee to continually identify trending sounds, songs, dances, hashtags and come up with a strategy to integrate them into relevant branded campaigns.
2. Partner with influencers – Use a platform like Ainfluencer to identify and activate influencers to promote branded challenges and content.
3. Feature user-generated content – Curate and re-share the best organic content from users to boost engagement and motivate participation.
4. Track performance data – Continually optimize efforts based on campaign analytics – double down on what‘s working and refine underperforming areas.
The time for brands to establish themselves on TikTok through captivating campaigns is now. Learning from brands finding success can help craft approaches poised to cut through the noise.
Which of these examples stand out most to you? What key learnings will you apply to your own TikTok marketing plans? Let me know in the comments!
