CPGs Seize On Rocketing TikTok Trends
While TikTok still lags behind social media giants like Facebook and Instagram in registered users, the platform has grown in popularity over the years, and CGs like Smashbox are flocking to the channel to build out their brand voice and expand their reach.
Smashbox is merely the latest brand to jump on the social platform, but while many companies have solely focused on building out their brand by filming videos that tie into existing trends or bolstering their personality by commenting on relevant and highly viewed content, Smashbox is doing something a little different.
The cosmetics company recently partnered with Camera IQ to launch a TikTok AR effect that promotes its Photo Finish Primers. A new filter called “Smashbox Illuminate” allows users to wear virtual, illuminating makeup, bathing them in a glowing light that emanates from atop the screen. According to Camera IQ, this effort helped Smashbox increase its engagement by over 50% in the first 10 days.
Maddy Wilson, content strategy and production for the global consumer engagement team at Smashbox, said that the brand is always looking for ways to engage with its digital community as well as expand its reach across social media.
“We jumped at the opportunity to create and launch TikTok AR effects with Camera IQ. They helped us easily translate our Instagram effects into effects for Tiktok, driving our cross-platform strategy for the new Photo Finish Primers,” added Wilson. “With ‘Smashbox Illuminate,’ we became one of the first beauty brands to launch an organic AR effect on TikTok, and based on its initial success we plan to continue expanding our AR strategy on TikTok.”
Leaning on AR Tech
Technology companies are offering support to brands looking to invest in TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram marketing.
Camera IQ, for example, allows consumer goods companies to build AR effects or transform a previous AR campaign and launch them within TikTok’s Effect House. Companies also gain access to real-time analytics and performance insights.
Additionally, research and analytics company IRI provides consumers with a holistic view into online and offline marketing efforts, providing visibility into the effectiveness of social media campaigns on platforms like TikTok. The company also helps brands budget, plan, and optimize their marketing campaigns.
Jennifer Pelino, executive vice president of Global Media Solutions at IRI, said that having a direct connection allows brands to better understand their marketing effectiveness and make the most of their TikTok advertising spend.
CG's Expanding Social Strategy
While brands are still determining the best way to leverage social media, several well-known companies have already begun including TikTok in their marketing strategies.
For example, Newell Brands recently launched a content incubator kitchen where the company can highlight its latest innovations while featuring content creators. The brand engaged TikTok influencer, Jeremy Scheck, to film cooking videos, which are then shared on the social media platform.
Additionally, just last month, Edgewell launched a campaign on Tiktok with the hashtag challenge #SchickAsks with plans to use the insights generated to improve future consumer engagement.
According to Statista, in 2020, TikTok increased its U.S. user base by 85.3% compared to the previous year, and experts predict the platform will only continue to grow in the next several years.
According to emarketer, retail social commerce sales totaled $27 billion last year. That figure is expected to more than double by 2023, with predictions that social commerce sales will hit $56 billion.
But which strategy will win out? From hashtag challenges to AR filters to sponsored videos to simply posting engaging content, today’s CGs are implementing a wide variety of social media strategies.
“Anecdotally, I see a lot of the same kind of TikTok and Reels ads that are from brands trying to imitate organic creators,” Wilton Gorske, Taylor Stitch director of marketing, told CGT in an interview earlier this year. “The ones that stick out to me now are the ones that are genuine and aren't trying to trick me into paying attention. That could switch, though, if other brands mimic the same strategy. It's all about trying new content and staying ahead.
