TikTok aimed to acquire an older user demographic in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. Known for dance videos and music amongst Gen Z, TikTok wanted to highlight to older users of other social networks the full breadth of what was available on platform and increase acquisition through greater relevance.

TikTok already shaped more of the culture around non-users than they knew. Despite assuming it was only dance crazes for kids, TikTok actually serves as one of the largest connectors and platforms for various interests and subcultures in the world. The value of the application is its algorithm, which can rapidly discern interests and connect you with content that sparks joy through shared passions. Content from each subculture or community rapidly bubbles up through the application and explodes first into other social networks and then into pop culture – unfortunately losing any attribution back to TikTok.

Create greater attribution and amplification for the content TikTok already incubates and spreads daily into culture, shaping the memes, moments and stories we already engage with.

Idea:

The Culture Engine a framework and process which involved daily identification of what stories and content had the potential to explode beyond TikTok. Once these pieces of content were identified, social briefs and content were created quickly for other platforms – creating attribution back to the network on Instagram, Twitter / X and others. Pieces of content which performed well on external platforms were amplified into wider ATL quickly, with radio ads, TV ads and more based on the original piece of content and all pointing back to TikTok.

Results:

The TikTok culture engine created several pieces of mass culture content, including a number one song in Nathan Evan’s Sea Shanty, as well as fan experiences with artists such as Yungblud & Aitch and core of the TikTok Euro’s activity.