High level of trust for brands that partner creators, claims TikTok

Half of TikTok users trust brands that partner creators, the social media giant has claimed.

Speaking at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, TikTok told delegates at a media briefing that nearly eight in 10 (79%) of users regarded the platform as “a place for brands to demonstrate personality and express themselves” and that 47% of a brand's sales-lift from advertising “comes from the creative more than any other element”.

The company also said that as more audiences are drawn towards creator-led content on the platform, it has placed more stock in building an environment that “allows creators of any size to stand out and build a following”.

Given TikTok’s success with trending hashtags (such as #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, which has reached more than 56 billion views) and the formation of popular “communities” shaped by shared interests and trends, the company addressed its goal to help marketers create more “authentic”, easy-to-launch campaigns using its TikTok Creator Marketplace tool.

Moreover, it claimed that more than 800,000 creators are currently connected with advertisers and creating branded content that is “driving impact” on the platform.

Adrienne Lahens, global head of operations at TikTok Creator Marketing Solutions, said: “We’re dedicated to measuring, understanding and empowering the ways in which we can drive actual results for our creators and advertisers and ensure that the marketplace empowers them to accomplish everything they seek to do on our platform.”

Stuart Flint, head of global business solutions at TikTok, told Campaign that the brand also hopes to “demystify” the common belief that the app is only used by young people.

He claimed that 67% of TikTok users are currently over the age of 25 and noted how the rise of more “mature” communities on the platform (such as #BookTok, #TravelTok and #CleanTok) has enabled creators to establish partnerships with brands and grow their following amid post-pandemic trends.

Referring to TikTok’s latest advertising tools as a “new box of crayons”, Melissa Yang, head of ecosystem partnerships and global business solutions at TikTok (pictured below), told Campaign that by offering TikTok Creator Marketplace, the brand hopes to connect more brands with creators while also providing them with tools that are both accessible and easy to use.

“TikTok is a place where your community, in many ways, is your brand. We build a lot of relationships with both people and creators who come to the platform and produce content using their own authentic voice,” she said.

“The easier it is for everyone to create and have access and the more that technology plays a role in helping to connect the dots, the more people will be comfortable bringing diversity of ideas and original thinking to the surface.”