TikTok’s 2021 Culture Drivers: Marketing Inspiration for 2022
Author: Daniel Acker, Creative Director, Lippe Taylor
There’s one thing that’s certain about the cultural relevancy of TikTok: it’s always changing.
Every new day brings a new headline about yet another TikTok trend that’s capturing clicks and eyeballs at exponential rates. It’s tough to make sense of it all and determine which trends have true staying power and impact, but thankfully, TikTok’s marketing team closed out the year by creating a handy guide to it all — the TikTok Culture Drivers 2021.
It’s a great resource that showcases 14 major branded partnerships from this past year, but also unveils the “A to Z” of TikTok trends, which are a great primer to understand what works (and what doesn’t) on the platform as brands, marketing and PR organizations begin to map out their presence on this platform in 2022.
With 14 partnership case studies and 26 trends to choose from, there’s a lot to digest, so we’ve reviewed the entire list and highlighted the best of the bunch for your quick and easy perusal.
Our Favorite Partnerships
Eos and Carly Joy’s Limited-Edition Shave Cream
What They Did: This relatively-upstart skincare label joined forces with TikTok star Carly Joy to create a special-edition product that was inspired by her organic (and expletive-filled) review of their shaving cream.
Why It Worked: Carly used a lot of profanity in her review of EOS’ product, but that didn’t scare the brand to work with her — her choice of words is simply how she relates with fans.
Eos subsequently chose action over words to engage with her — they could have just hired her to make content but did something more tangible by creating a real (and relatable) product instead of that her fans could purchase.
Our Take:
Throughout 2022, we will see larger/traditional brands join their upstart competitors in loosening the guardrails for partners, letting them exercise more creative freedom than their fans have come to expect. So don’t be overly prescriptive — just let your partners be themselves! Fans can tell when their favorite TikTok creators are just reading the script or are genuinely passionate about a brand.
Pizza Hut’s #ForYouPizza with Oneya
What They Did: With a simple twist to TikTok’s popular FYP (For You Page) acronym, Pizza Hut gave TikTok creator Oneya the opportunity to make his own custom-topping #ForYouPizza, and let fans also suggest their own, to be included on the brand’s delivery menus.
Why It Worked: Once again, the partnership involved more than simply content — it gave creators the chance to make something real. But it also didn’t just come from a marketing tagline — Pizza Hut simply modified a phrase that the entire TikTok community already knows, so the leap to understanding #ForYouPizza couldn’t be easier.
Our Take:
Just as internet culture moves at light speed, brand production cycles will have to adapt quickly as well. This year, we will see companies get better at making and promoting custom products that are inspired by social personalities and their fans. If your brand isn’t yet capable of producing limited-edition products, it’s time to start the process of making it possible!
Dove & Jessia’s #NoDigitalDistortion Challenge
What They Did: Jessia was an unknown singer when her single “I’m Not Pretty” went viral on TikTok, but the song’s message resonated with Dove, so they partnered with her to helm a campaign to fight back against digital photo manipulation.
Why It Worked: Dove has the resources to work with AAA-level artists to promote a campaign but highlighted an up-and-coming star instead because of the authentic connection. Their partnership helped grow Jessia’s fanbase and reach more listeners, providing a bigger platform for her to succeed.
Our Take:
Follow the evidence, and not just your personal tastes. Just because a brand manager hasn’t heard of a TikTok artist doesn’t mean they aren’t relevant, or don’t have a passionate audience. The brands that take a chance on someone who might not have the name recognition, but possess quantifiable virality instead, will usually reach an engaged and passionate fanbase.
Our Favorite Trends
Perhaps one of TikTok’s longest-lasting content trends, How To ‘Toks are informative (and usually time-lapsed) showcases that explain how to make & learn almost anything. Great for helping an audience quickly learn something that might be difficult to understand otherwise.
Everyone on TikTok is YoungISH
Yes, TikTok has a reputation for its connection with younger audiences, but it’s beginning to be the platform for the youngISH at heart as well, with older users flocking to it. About 40+% of users are now 24 and up, and some of TikTok’s most viral content juxtaposes younger users with older ones (to hilarious effect). It’s a good reminder that brand spokespersons and personalities on TikTok don’t necessarily have to be certain ages to make an impact.
Instant Virtual Shopping With #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
TikTok’s marketing execs describe this hashtag trend as the new generation’s “as seen on TV”, and that’s a pretty accurate assessment. It’s a phenomenon that’s not unique to just TikTok, however, as both new platforms (such as NTWRK) and established platforms like Amazon are also putting a new spin on virtual shopping that buyers are loving.
In 2021, TikTok overtook Google as the most popular website of the year, and it shows no signs of slowing down in 2022. Keeping up with the ever-evolving nature of social media can be intimidating for consumers and brands alike, which makes understanding platforms like TikTok feel even more daunting. But, as the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day…and, well, neither was a decent branded TikTok channel.
It needs constantly updated content, care, and cultivation over time. It’s a slow, incremental process for a fast-moving platform, but a necessary one nonetheless! Grasping TikTok and most any social media trend is a journey. Begin your deep dive into a better understanding of the platform and check out the entire alphabet here!
