TikTok has announced the winners for its first-ever TikTok Trendsetter competition, launched last December to showcase the creativity driving business solutions on the platform. 

Existing Campaigns Category:

• Lazada Group (Lazada 11.11 Campaign)
• OCBC NISP Bank Indonesia (OCBC #Save20 Challenge)
• Mirinda Thailand (#สนุกซ่าไม่มีซ้ำ)
• Bayer Vietnam (#BeroccaMango2PM HTC Campaign)

Agency Category: 

• Havas Immerse (Reshaping Reality with 5G)
• Creative Juice Bangkok (รวยไม่พึ่งโชค)
• RED² Digital (BẠN "ỔN" KHÔNG?)

The winning entries comprise both world-famous names and regional stars — and is a testament to the philosophy underpinning TikTok’s prized algorithm: the platform recommends content based on several factors, including users’ interests, interaction and language preference. As long as your content is engaging, it has the potential to go viral, regardless of how many followers you have. 

The six winners were selected from 118 submissions, with the 15-strong jury comprising some of the biggest names in APAC’s advertising and marketing industry. 

As well as TikTok credits, winners also get an incentive trip to Cannes Lions 2021, the international festival of creativity in Cannes, France. 

Commenting on this year’s high calibre entries, Chew Wee Ng, head of SEA Business Marketing at TikTok, notes, “we’ve seen great innovation from the entries in using TikTok's creative solutions to solve business problems and achieve tangible results, such as boosting app downloads, increasing market share, as well as encouraging offline purchases and product trials.” 

Using TikTok for full-funnel marketing 

And indeed, the winning entries show just how far TikTok has come – a platform primarily known for its lip-synching or dancing battles among Gen-Zers two years ago, TikTok is increasingly being leveraged by brand marketers, who are taking advantage of the platform’s reach and unique algorithm to help achieve business goals. 

Ng gives the example of OCBC NISP Bank, which applied a gamified approach to their  campaign about money management and financial planning. Not only did it speak to a topical issue facing Indonesia’s youths, the campaign also brought in new customers – and was a perfect example of how marketers can turn a simple idea into ROI-driven marketing. 

Winning entries from the Existing Campaigns category

Amir Widjaya, EVP Head Marketing Communication at OCBC NISP Bank, notes of the success behind the campaign, “[the campaign] utilised TikTok to educate something very critical for this generation whilst keeping it fun with song, dance and gestures.”

A successful campaign dives into deeply local content 

Some of this year’s best entries are also proof that good story-telling necessitates a deep understanding of cultural context. 

“In Southeast Asia, we are seeing a high growth in content created by and aimed at families, with everyone in the family coming together to be creative and have fun. For example, in Singapore, father-and-son duo Mingwei and Daddy Ming have captured the hearts of TikTok users. Their humorous prank videos showcase the strong bond between the two, inspiring others to involve their parents on TikTok too,” says Ng. 

Amongst the winning works, campaigns from RED² Digital and Havas Immerse leveraged great story-telling, insights gleaned from local and regional markets, as well as TikTok’s suite of branded effects to raise awareness of the benefits of 5G.

Winning entries from the Agencies category

For Widjaya, the key is to understand who your audiences are, and to find that platform which allows you to forge long-term connections with them. 

She notes, “The most crucial thing for a brand campaign is selecting what platforms and which influencers to invest and collaborate with. Building a relevancy between brands, influencers and audiences, as well as utilisation of the right platform, is the key to create a campaign movement with a significant impact on the brand love; and TikTok is a great platform to drive this branded movement with high engagement especially to the young generation in Indonesia.” 

The numbers of influencers and marketers using TikTok to divulge useful information is also rising.

“We’re seeing TikTok creators use the platforms as a way to share knowledge and educate others across a wide variety of subjects. From dental hygiene tips by Dr Beth Seow and Dr Mabel Chan to useful job-hunting tricks by millennial recruiter Celine Sng, there’s no shortage of educational content on the platform,” notes Ng. 

Be true to your brand identity 

Aside from targeted and personalised content, one thing that unites the winning campaigns is they never lost sight of brand identity. 

A campaign from Mirinda Thailand invites users to a dance challenge, with the choreography dependent on the kind of drink flavour-sour, sweet or tingle; meanwhile, Lazada’s 11.11 campaign encourages users to interact with a filter to win shopping rewards. 

When asked what sets their campaign apart from others, Patcharapan Boonsong, marketing manager - Flavors, Suntory Pepsico Beverage Thailand, says, “Mirinda is a youthful brand full of fun! We wanted to convey this message through the creative, which is why we chose lots of bright colours to represent our different flavours, along with fun dance [choreography] to truly shine a spotlight on the brand.” 

As for what advice she’ll give to marketers looking to capitalise the platform for their campaigns? 

“Be bold, be experimental, and don't be afraid to have fun! TikTok is a platform all about positivity, authenticity, and fun, so use it in your campaigns!"

Learn more about the winning entries on the TikTok Trendsetter site.