Rethink: Principles of building a brand on TikTok

Launched in 2016, TikTok quickly became a global sensation, especially in Asia and Vietnam. By 2023, the platform had over 450 million active monthly users across Asia, including around 50 million in Vietnam alone, fundamentally reshaping how we consume content. Today, TikTok is not just a source of entertainment but also an incredibly powerful tool for brand building.

To understand this shift better, join PMAX as we explore this comprehensive guide on the principles and strategies that can help your brand thrive on TikTok.

How has TikTok changed the World?

First, let's take a look back at the past few years, when TikTok rapidly emerged as a global phenomenon, completely redefining how we approach and consume digital content. The platform popularized the short-form video format, which is highly accessible and engaging, prompting users to spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app (eMarketer, 2023). TikTok is not just a platform for entertainment; it's a "creative crucible," sparking global trends and challenges like #InMyFeelings and #SavageChallenge.

Moreover, TikTok has revolutionized marketing by shifting from traditional advertising to a dynamic, creative playground where brands connect directly with consumers. Hashtag challenges like #GucciModelChallenge garnered over 12 million views and hundreds of thousands of user-generated videos within weeks. Collaborations with influencers, such as Shein’s partnership, led to a 4 million increase in followers and a 30% boost in sales. TikTok also reshaped content strategy with short, compelling videos like those from Netflix, which increased new subscriptions by 15%. Additionally, TikTok Shopping has created a seamless shopping experience. Thus, TikTok is more than just a platform—it is an opportunity for brands to reposition themselves and build a loyal community.

This evolution has also fueled the growth of social commerce, with revenue from TikTok Shopping exceeding $9.4 billion in 2023 (TikTok Annual Report 2023). Brands increasingly leverage TikTok to build their identity and engage with younger audiences, achieving a brand awareness increase of up to 63% (TikTok Marketing Science). Clearly, TikTok has become a powerful tool that allows brands to not only build awareness but also interact directly with target customers, fostering creativity and deeper connections with the consumer community. Indeed, TikTok continues to redefine how brands approach the market.

The Importance of Distinctive Brand Assets

Distinctive assets are unique, recognizable elements that a brand owns, helping it stand out from competitors in the consumer's mind. These assets not only create brand recognition but also trigger recall and association during shopping or decision-making processes. Distinctive assets, such as unique colors, memorable logos, signature sounds, or mascots, act as "shortcuts" in the consumer's memory.

In today's world, where user attention is scattered among millions of TikTok videos, building a distinctive brand asset is crucial for standing out. According to the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, a leading marketing research center, a harmonious blend of consistency and differentiation is essential for building and maintaining strong brand assets. Their research indicates that brands with unique, consistent assets can achieve up to 15% revenue growth within 2-3 years.

This means that brands must maintain consistency in displaying their assets, from colors and logos to messaging. However, they also need to be creative and adaptable to match the fast-paced, entertaining content environment of platforms like TikTok. To build distinctive and effective brand assets, brands should focus on the following core elements:

• Uniqueness: Brand assets must stand out and be easily distinguishable from competitors.
• Memorability: These elements should be easy to remember and make a strong impression on consumers.
• Consistency: Using these assets consistently across all communication channels helps reinforce brand recognition.
• Relevance: Brand assets should reflect the core identity and values of the brand.
• Ownability: The brand must have a strong, exclusive association with these assets to truly represent the brand in the consumer’s mind.

To truly make an impact on TikTok, having distinctive brand assets alone is not enough. The challenge lies in ensuring these assets are not only distinctive but also align with the fast-evolving consumer behavior and culture on the platform. Therefore, building brand assets on TikTok requires a more nuanced and creative strategy, moving beyond traditional advertising methods.

Challenges and Strategies for Building Brand Assets on TikTok

Are Distinctive Brand Assets Really Enough?

Is owning distinctive brand assets truly enough to stand out on TikTok? Can brands confidently claim that their brand assets are entirely unique compared to competitors? If so, it's important not to celebrate too soon because success on TikTok is not simply about plastering brand elements all over the platform. TikTok is not like a 15-second YouTube ad or an outdoor billboard at a busy intersection; it requires a much more sophisticated and nuanced approach.

Why Distinctive Assets Alone Aren't Enough

Imagine you're a TikTok user scrolling through your feed, and within the first 6 seconds, you realize it's a brand advertisement. Are you likely to keep watching, or would you scroll past quickly? The reality is, consumers generally don't like watching ads, especially on social media platforms where they come for entertainment. This presents one of the biggest challenges for brands: how to make sure their brand assets are not easily dismissed by users.

On TikTok, brand assets need to be presented not only creatively but also engagingly to hold the audience's attention. This requires brands to be flexible in their approach and continuously adapt their strategies to suit the tastes and preferences of TikTok users.

For instance, Duolingo has cleverly used its green owl mascot in humorous videos, creating a memorable impression among users. Similarly, Be Group has flexibly used its iconic yellow-helmeted drivers in various scenarios, making it easy for users to recognize the brand.

It’s essential that brand assets do not just appear rigidly but are seamlessly integrated into content to create fun and memorable user experiences. By listening to users, capturing trends, and encouraging interaction, brands can build a loyal community.

Building Consistent and Effective Brand Assets

Consistency is the guiding star that helps brands stand out and create a lasting impression. When a brand consistently maintains a specific style, tone, and message across all content, it becomes easier for users to recognize and connect with that brand. Consistency not only helps build strong brand recognition but also fosters trust and loyalty among consumers. Studies show that consumers tend to trust and prefer brands with a consistent image.

• Maintaining Core Identity Elements: Core identity elements like logos, colors, fonts, and communication styles are crucial in shaping brand image. On TikTok, consistently using these elements across all videos not only helps with easy brand recognition but also reinforces memory retention in consumers. Consistency in imagery doesn't mean being monotonous; rather, it provides a strong foundation for creativity, ensuring that every brand appearance leaves a powerful impact.
• Creativity While Preserving Identity: TikTok is renowned for its creativity and rapid trend changes. However, this doesn't mean brands should abandon their unique identity. Brands need to skillfully combine creativity with core identity elements to create appealing content that resonates with TikTok users while retaining the brand’s distinct characteristics. This approach enables brands to not only stay on trend but also maintain their unique identity, offering memorable and unique experiences to users.
• Engaging with the Community: To build strong brand assets, brands need to foster community interaction by encouraging users to create content related to their brand. Strategies can include organizing creative challenges, using branded hashtags, or collaborating with popular content creators. These activities not only enhance brand presence on TikTok but also create deeper connections with customers, making them feel more attached and loyal.

For example, Coca-Cola has successfully built a global brand by maintaining its iconic red color and familiar logo across all its campaigns, including TikTok. However, to avoid becoming monotonous, Coca-Cola continuously creates fresh content aligned with youth trends, such as dances, challenges, and campaigns in collaboration with famous artists.

This demonstrates that consistency isn't rigidity but a solid foundation for brands to be creatively flexible and deliver memorable experiences for users.

Your Brand Is Not the Only Voice

TikTok is not just a playground for brands alone. While brands can proactively build and control their image, it is the user community, experts, and content creators who truly shape how a brand is perceived. User reviews, comments, and user-generated content (UGC) often have a more profound and trustworthy impact than traditional marketing messages.

Why Does This Matter? Imagine you're considering buying a new product. Instead of fully trusting flashy advertisements from a brand, you'd likely seek out genuine reviews from users who have experienced the product. According to TikTok's Shoppertaiment 2024 report, 48% of consumers are influenced by content created by the community, while only 22% are swayed by brand-generated content.

Today’s users are more likely to trust content from their favorite creators rather than official brand advertisements.

When Nike collaborates with famous athletes like Charles-Antoine Kouakou for campaigns like #Paris2024, they not only leverage the influence of celebrities but also encourage users to share their stories and achievements using Nike products. This creates a powerful ripple effect, helping Nike build a connected and loyal community.

To maximize the power of the community, brands need to encourage user-generated content by organizing contests, using branded hashtags, or partnering with content creators. Additionally, brands should engage with the community genuinely and promptly, responding to user comments and messages. Finally, maintaining consistency in brand identity is crucial, even when the community generates diverse content. This ensures that all content, regardless of who creates it, strongly reflects the brand.

Challenges and Opportunities from Brand Decentralization

TikTok has created an environment where control over content and brand image is no longer solely in the hands of the brand. Instead, individual users, content creators, and influencers have become powerful voices shaping brand perception and sentiment within the community.

This decentralization brings both challenges and opportunities for brands. On the one hand, it requires businesses to relinquish some traditional control over their messaging and instead focus on building relationships and communities. Brands need to adopt a holistic management strategy that goes beyond self-promotion to support and encourage community-generated content.

A prime example is the #EyesLipsFace campaign by e.l.f. Cosmetics, which achieved over 4 billion views on TikTok by encouraging users to create content based on their music and products, while also promoting influencer participation.

On the other hand, opportunities arise from the ability to strengthen customer engagement through user-generated content. When users participate in content creation and share stories about a brand in their unique ways, they not only become powerful advocates but also help disseminate the brand message more naturally and authentically.

Managing Your Brand on TikTok

To manage a brand effectively on TikTok, brands need to apply a multi-dimensional strategy that combines consistency, creativity, and the use of modern analytical tools. Here are key steps to help brands optimize their presence on this platform:

• Reinforce Brand Assets: To build and maintain a strong brand on TikTok, reinforcing brand assets is crucial. Unique elements such as logos, colors, signature sounds, or mascots need to be consistently showcased across all content. Consistent brand recognition helps users easily associate different content with your brand, creating a strong memory structure in their minds.
• Collaborate with Content Creators: TikTok is a platform where user-generated content prevails. Therefore, collaborating with content creators and influencers can help brands reach a broader audience more naturally and authentically. Successful campaigns on TikTok often encourage user participation and content creation related to the brand. It's essential to maintain consistency in how creators represent your brand, ensuring that the content they produce accurately reflects the brand’s identity and values.
• Optimize Presence: To measure and optimize strategy effectiveness on TikTok, use analytical and performance measurement tools. TikTok offers robust analytics tools that allow brands to track key metrics such as views, likes, comments, and engagement rates. Continuously analyzing campaign data helps brands better understand the effectiveness of their marketing activities, allowing for necessary adjustments and improvements.

Conclusion

Building a brand on TikTok goes beyond creating distinctive and recognizable brand assets; it also includes the ability to adapt flexibly to a creative, fast-paced, and entertaining content environment. Brands need to maintain consistency in showcasing their brand assets while being flexible and creative to match the preferences of TikTok users.

With TikTok, brands not only have the opportunity to reach a vast new audience but also build long-lasting and strong relationships with consumers. This platform is a fertile ground for those who know how to leverage smart, creative, and flexible strategies to drive sustainable growth in the future.

PMAX believes that by applying the right principles and strategies, your brand will not only stand out but also win the hearts of consumers on TikTok.