Marketer’s Takeaway:
- TikTok content strategies need a clear plan and distinct personality to connect with followers.
- From influencer collaborations to self-aware irony, there are numerous paths to becoming a successful brand on TikTok, but consistency is key.
- The best TikTok marketing campaigns focus on engagement, encouraging their followers to interact with or even contribute content.
So what?
To succeed on TikTok, you’ll want to learn from the most popular brands—and in this compilation, we give you a full breakdown of the best TikTok brand marketing strategies.
Ever wondered how some brands are smashing it on TikTok when others barely get noticed?
With over one billion (!) users, TikTok offers immense potential for marketers, especially if you’re targeting a young audience. But standing out requires a winning content strategy—just because you’re used to Facebook or Instagram doesn’t mean your content will take off on TikTok.
In this guide, we’ll explore 24 brands that have nailed their TikTok content strategy, offering valuable inspiration and insights for your own campaigns.
Food & Beverage Brands
Chipotle: Chipotle uses viral challenges and user-generated content to connect with their followers. After all, the fans know what they like—so why not feature the fans’ own content?
@chipotle
Dunkin’: Dunkin’ understands the power of TikTok marketing via branded content with popular creators. Having famed rapper Jelly Roll promote a doughnut brand? It just makes sense.
@dunkin Can concur that life is better with a little jelly in it…. Stop by Dunkin’ on Friday June 7th to get a free donut with any beverage @Jelly Roll
Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola opts for a more sensory experience, using popular music and dance trends to appeal to their audience. They also crank up the nostalgia around the holidays, with a heavy dose of classic Americana.
@cocacola This NewJeans and J.I.D collaboration is Real Magic 🎤 🎶. Watch the full performance NOW. #RealMagic #CokeStudio #JID #NewJeans #HipHop #KPop #bunnies #Raptok #BestFlows
Taco Bell: Taco Bell’s content is fun and quirky, encouraging followers to tag their friends for a silly laugh. It’s simple but effective, like many of the best TikTok strategies.
@tacobell wait for it
McDonald’s: McDonald’s uses trending challenges and customer stories to reach their audience—that is, when they aren’t mining their own characters for inspiration. (Remember the Grimace shake?)
@mcdonalds celebrating grimace’s bday month w/ our new besties @Empire State Building
Fashion & Beauty Brands
Guess: Guess’ #InMyDenim challenge was a masterclass in how hashtags can optimize your TikTok marketing, offering fans a chance to express their individual styles. Years later, they’ve kept that energy going with fun content.
@guess our furry friend Jax takes us around the GUESS HQ farmers market ☀️ summer pov dogsoftiktok
Fenty Beauty: By showcasing makeup tutorials and customer reviews, Fenty Beauty provides real value to its followers. It’s a simple idea, but the results speak for themselves.
@fentybeauty Kiss the ops goodnight like @Rihanna 💋 That #BlackCherryLip combo is applyin’ pressure 😮💨 @paloma 🐇 puts it to the test with FentyBeauty’s most-wanted topped with that needed @Fenty Skin lip care 👏🏽👏🏻👏🏿 🖤 #TracedOut Lip Liner in ‘Coal Blooded’ 🍒 #FentyTreatz Lip Oil in ‘Black Cherry’ Show out with the best pout at @sephora, @sephoracanada, @Kohl’s #sephoraxkohls and fentybeauty.com!
Aerie: Not only has Aerie mastered using body positivity and user-generated content in their campaigns, but they’ve also proven that sometimes simplicity is the best strategy.
@aerie Did we do it right? 🤔 #SummerOutfitInspo #SummerLooks #SummerStyle #thistrendbut #pagingdrbeat
Elf Cosmetics: Elf has kicked off a viral #EyesLipsFace challenge, and they’re making the most of it. Creative videos (like this one) can inspire followers to share and interact with their friends. The lesson? Even when you’re on top, you can always take it a step further.
@elfyeah you thought the Soft Glam Satin Foundation application was smooth 👀 wait until you see this transition @Nikolai Savic #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #SoftGlamSatinFoundation #transition
Old Navy: Old Navy is getting full mileage out of its family-friendly content and fashion tips. Many Americans remember wearing Old Navy as children, and the brand is using the nostalgia factor to recapture their interest as adults.
@oldnavy 30 years of memories ilyyy 🫶 #oldnavy #happy4thofjuly #2000sfashion
Sports & Fitness Brands
Red Bull: When it comes to extreme sports and high-energy content, no one matches Red Bull. After all, energy is their brand.
@redbull that last flight was long-haul 😅 #redbull #givesyouwiiings #redbullflugtag #flugtag #funny
Nike: Nike uses inspirational stories and influencer partnerships to reach their target audience. It’s a smart move, using renowned athletes to capture fans’ attention.
@nike Even losing can’t stop LeBron—it just makes him come back better. WinningIsntForEveryone Paris2024 olympics
Gymshark: Gymshark adopts a darker, edgier approach that nevertheless retains a hint of humor. What motivates people to become avid gym-goers? They know it.
@gymshark ISHOWSPEED deadlifting #ishowspeed #ishowspeedclipz #Gymshark
NBA: The NBA knows who the stars are, and they let them shine through game highlights and fan interactions. Sometimes, it’s best to just give the people what they want.
@nba LeBron 🤝 Steph is a SCARY duo 👀 #USABMNT #StephCurry #LeBronJames #NBAHighlights #NBA
Tech & Media Brands
Samsung: Samsung continually steals the show through innovative technology and user experiences. (Letting everyone see you were featured at Art Basel doesn’t hurt, either.)
@samsung Art Basel in Basel 2024 was a blast! Samsung’s The Frame stole the show, wowing art lovers, visitors, influencers, and experts. Missed it? Catch the highlights and see how The Frame is changing the art game! 🎨✨ #ArtBasel #ArtYourWay #TheFrame #ArtTV LifestyleTV #Samsung
Apple: What more can be said about Apple? They keep the focus on creativity and user-generated content, letting everyone know what they can do with Apple products—and it works.
@apple Worlds MadeOniPad. One piece of green screen footage interpreted by different animators using #iPad Pro powered by the M4 chip #procreate #ShotOniPhone #animation #illustration #shortfilm Starring: Sofia Wylie “Forest” Animation/Illustration Director: Natalie Labarre “Theatre” Animation/Illustration Director: Jin & Jay “Colossus” Animation/Illustration Director: Eric Lane ‘Concentrate’ by Billy Lemos (feat. Dua Saleh)
Netflix: You know how fun it is to watch trailers before the film begins? Netflix’s TikTok content strategy replicates that energy by showcasing new releases and interactive content.
@netflix somebody cheese me #TheDecameron
Washington Post: WaPo is a serious newspaper, but you might not know it from their TikTok account! They mostly share news with humor and trends, showcasing a playful side.
@washingtonpost Swift dropped a 16-song record on midnight Eastern time on Friday, and then two hours later at 2 a.m., announced a surprise: It was actually a double album titled “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology,” with 15 additional songs. The obvious assumption before the album’s release was that many songs would be about British actor Joe Alwyn, whom Swift dated for six years before they announced their breakup in April 2023. But upon hearing the lyrics, fans instead caught more apparent references to Matty Healy, lead singer of British band The 1975, to whom Swift was romantically linked for a couple of months last year. Swift, who has given very few details about the timeline of “Tortured Poets,” said that she started recording it after she finished “Midnights” (presumably in late 2021 or early 2022) and continued through the Eras Tour that launched last spring. So it’s unclear whether the timing would have worked for her to include her relationship with Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce — but there are some sports-themed lines in “The Alchemy.” In a brief statement on Instagram, Swift wanted to let listeners know that she doesn’t plan on looking backward for much longer, describing “Tortured Poets” as “an anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time — one that was both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure.”
♬ original sound – We are a newspaper. – We are a newspaper.
Miscellaneous Brands
Amazon: Amazon uses product reviews and unboxing videos to entice their followers, showing them products they’d never heard of (but now desperately need).
@amazon This adorable pinwheel tool is a real lifesaver 🍉 Shop fruit slicer at the link in bio. #amazonfinds #amazonsnacks #snacktime 🎥: @dannikafaith
Disney: With such a massive media library, it only makes sense for Disney to feature content from its parks, movies, and TV shows—old and new alike.
@disney 30 years ago, we met The Lion King. This December, experience an all-new story with Mufasa: The Lion King, only in theaters.
Wendy’s: Renowned for its “savage” clapbacks to other accounts, Wendy’s uses humorous, relatable content to keep its followers coming back for more.
@wendys Shoulda known better
Pringles: Pringles makes the most of humor and viral challenges to engage their fans—and you’d be surprised at how many chip-centric challenges they’ve thought up!
@pringles We love a good challenge, especially when the prize is snacking on #Pringles @Minecraft Spicy TNT🔥@Michela🤙🏾 #gaming
Ryanair: Let’s be real. People fly Ryanair because they’re cheap. Ryanair leans into it with cheeky, humorous content, and their honesty is both refreshing and hilarious.
@ryanair Can’t stay away 👀 #ryanair
Sephora: Sephora broadens their offering with a variety of beauty tutorials and product launches. Like all successful brands on TikTok, Sephora has tapped into their followers’ greater wants—and reaped the benefits.
@sephora Adding a cute little timer to our bathroom décor. @Amy Koberling
Marketer’s Takeaway
What should marketers learn from the best TikTok campaigns? We have three suggestions.
- Think outside the box. With so many users and brands on TikTok, your content must stand out if you want to develop a following.
- Engage your followers. Don’t just push out content and let it die. Respond to comments, answer questions, and give other indications that you’re listening to your fans. They’ll become more active as a result.
- Know what’s trending. TikTokers often refer to current events, community in-jokes, and even other viral videos. If you can tap into this ecosystem, you’ll set your content up for a positive reception.
Put simply, if you want to be a successful brand on TikTok, a healthy mix of creativity, engagement, and trendiness is key!
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