How Tik Tok and Gen Z are changing the way we approach marketing

Throughout the years, we have changed our way of marketing to an audience. From the loud TV ads of the 80s to Influencer Marketing in present day. More recently, the age of TikTok has changed perceptions for the younger generations in many forms, be it politics, fashion, or just plain brain rot. With TikTok, every type of content is in your hands, and it takes less than 6 seconds to find. Collecting information at 2x speed means that anyone who uses the app is absorbing gallons of information per day.

As a generation that has grown up with a variety of advertising, this has led to knowledge of marketing techniques themselves. A standard advertisement seems to show no interest in the average user, and influencer marketing is spoiled by the word “#AD,” making any of these paid opinions feel inauthentic. Therefore, brands and businesses are finding more unique ways to reach their audience. Some execute well, while others may be missing the point.

These new ways are what I like to call “Unhinged or Chaotic Marketing”. As a TikTok user myself, I’m still baffled by this style of marketing and how it actually works. There are two businesses I’d like to mention in particular: Central Houston Nissan and RSPB.

Let’s start with Central Houston Nissan, starting their trend in the beginning of 2024. Their content became funny videos of mishaps, comedy, or unusual clips that led to an individual promoting their business or product. It’s hard to explain chaos, but Creative Bloq describes this wonderfully, “Central Houston Nissan nails the art of TikTok transitions, seamlessly drawing us in before delivering pure marketing gold.”

Credit: TikTok @.centralhoustonnissan (17.2m Views, 2.1m Likes as of 7/10/2024)

These videos have gained success as they pull the TikTok user out of their endless habitual scroll into witnessing Nissan’s chaotic turn of events. Social media users have been used to subtle marketing, tapping into the subconscious in order to buy products. These videos from Nissan take it back to loud, aggressive marketing, unapologetically here to sell their product. It's real and original!

Like most globally viral videos, this became a trend. Companies used this technique to gain their own traction on TikTok. But again, as put by Creative Bloq, “there's a fine line between casual conversational marketing and outright desperation – and best believe Gen Z can sniff it out.” The TikTok audience is used to consuming a massive amount of video content, so keeping their attention span is difficult. Once the trend becomes inauthentic, their attention fades away again and what was once viral and comical becomes exasperating.

Credit: TikTok @.centralhoustonnissan (10.7m Views, 1.1m Likes as of 7/10/2024)

So begins the fight to be original or, at least, first on the scene. Mastered by none other than RSPB, a charity traditionally associated with birdwatchers and BBC Springwatch viewers. Nevertheless, their TikTok presence tells a different story, showcasing their mastery of the unconventional marketing approach.

Allow me to rewind for a moment. One evening, I stumbled upon a rather peculiar corner of TikTok. I came across an account featuring 'Fish of the Week' - videos detailing information about the fish that won for the week, presented in the most chaotic fashion imaginable. To put it simply, these videos could be likened to a scrambled version of a television game show. Fast forward a few months (The algorithm always remembers), and I come across RSPB's "Bird of the Week" series.

Credit: TikTok @rspb (675.2k Views, 84.5k Likes as of 7/10/2024)

The RSPB's marketing team must've also delved deep into TikTok one evening and quickly embraced the idea of sharing bird facts in a video format that I could only compare as playing 7 videos at once. These videos garnered tens of thousands of likes and nearly half a million views, capturing the attention of a younger audience who may not have previously been interested in wood pigeon facts. Now, even I eagerly await the next "Bird of the Week" to pop up on my FYP (For You Page: an algorithm that tailors videos based on your viewing history, likes, and followed accounts). I am curious to see the impact of this marketing campaign on RSPB's donations and fundraising in their annual report for this year. I truly hope it has led to record-breaking contributions.

Credit: TikTok @rspb (352.7k Views, 60.3k Likes as of 7/10/2024)

Ultimately, navigating the TikTok marketing landscape can be tricky; what is successful for one company may not necessarily work for another, even with similar video styles. The nuances in video delivery can greatly impact its reception. One undeniable fact is that the TikTok community appreciates originality, authenticity, and not taking yourself too seriously.

You can read Creative Bloq’s full post about Nissan’s marketing here: https://www.creativebloq.com/news/central-houston-nissan-tiktok-marketing

For specific topics you'd like me to discuss feel free to comment, or find me on instagram @iamkelliestudio.

If you're interested in working together, please contact lauren@kelliestudio.com