Feed-based social media and out-of-home media (basically billboards) are strange bedfellows. Though they embody traditional and new media, respectively, TikTok has brought together this odd couple in elegant ways, including using TikTok posts as creative content for out-of-home screens.
Though this seems like a match made in an intoxicated state, there are several reasons it has become a peanut butter and chocolate moment. In short, it’s all about tapping into TikTok’s energy, explained TikTok’s Dan Page in a fireside chat with Dan Hight at this week’s Street Fight Live event.
Backing up for context, promotional material on TikTok does best when it’s organic, as we’ve examined, matching the vibe and language of the app. This is both an advantage and a challenge for marketers – TikTok is differentiated and unique in its formats… but you can’t just port other media. It has to be native.
But when done right, promotional material on TikTok is among the highest-performing formats available today. Those native attributes include things like videos that are cheeky, self-deprecating, and visually compelling. The forced brevity of the platform also makes them punchy and immediately engaging.
Sound Off
All of those attributes have made TikTok what it is today as a media and marketing powerhouse. But those same features bring us back to the integration with OOH. Digital displays in public places or commercial zones happen to thrive on some of these same attention-economy dynamics.
For example, Sephora shipped vertical screens to its locations, then enlisted TikTok creators to make product videos. Those were shown in retail settings next to the actual product. The energy and youth of the TikTok content, combined with the proximity to the product, made it a simple yet effective activation.
Another thing that makes this marriage of TikTok and OOH work is the sound-off principle. Public billboards and digital displays (think Times Square) mostly feature media that is carried on its visuals alone, given that there’s no audio. And TikTok natively thrives in a sound-off context. It always has.
So if there’s no sound, what else can be done for creative range in a given billboard-bound TikTok video? Page points to campaigns that have gotten creative with the comment feed. You can have brand messaging populate the feed, or have curation of real-user comments that are displayed live.
Moment of Fame
Joining the above advantages, there’s a sort of viral appeal that plays into the novelty of creators. This dynamic can be used by brands that want to propel OOH campaigns. For example, you can create TikTok competitions (think: dance contest) where the winners get to be featured on a billboard.
McDonald’s in Canada did this around its “What is My McDonald’s?” campaign. Everyday TikTok users made clips that showcased their favorite locations or menu items, aligned with the theme. And the prize of being shown on billboards – a moment of fame – drove mass participation in the campaign.
“If you engage them, they’ll engage you back,” said Page. McDonald’s ended up with a rich and authentic library of content that drove the campaign. This was not only free but the key word is “authentic.” As we’ve examined in the past, that’s the most important word in the TikTok universe.
Beyond motivating content creation in all the above ways, the same incentives drive post-creation behavior among users. For example, when you put someone on a billboard, they’re inclined to capture and share it, which propels the campaign even further. And that’s free amplification, Page reminds us.
Old and New
Importantly, it’s working on empirical levels in addition to being logical for all the above reasons. Page tells us that when TikTok and OOH are brought together, campaign performance grows. For example, there are quality impressions where propensity to buy goes up by 60 percent versus benchmarks.
As for how brands can get started on these types of campaigns, Page said that TikTok has agency partners who are already versed in working with the platform. So it’s all about huddling with them, and formulating creative strategies that align with brand goals – an old process with a new twist.
