TikTok changed that paradigm. Unlike other social media platforms that emphasize communication or audience, TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes entertainment. That means for brands to stand out, they have to act like “an entertainment company,” Henry said.
“The signs are showing [on TikTok] among some of the most unexpected and most beautiful things in the world, but not in the context of other media in a media break,” he explained.
Competing for eyeballs in an environment popular for dance videos, comedy, and education has prompted many brands “to take more risks in the type of content they produce and try new things,” and some “trust to the true nature of popular topics on TikTok,” said Walters.
Chipotle, which challenged fans to dance to the viral “Guacamole Song,” and Duolingo, whose shake-up, dance moves became popular on the Internet, were the first TikTok players to venture into unexpected and sometimes unimaginable territory. it is dangerous. But it worked—especially in attracting Gen Z.
@duolingo UN OR UNE I ASK #duolingo #languagelearning ♬ som original – ✩
Take Nutter Butter. The 55-year-old cookie-cutter has developed a cult following on TikTok with strange, fever-dreamy antics that sometimes confuse his own social media. Zach Poczekaj, manager of social media at the agency, Dentsu Creative, told the New York Times in October: “If a piece of content is really important, it’s not good.”
@officialnutterbutter come play,
♬ original sound – butter nutter