Most Innovative Brands in Events 2020: TikTok

The Basics: Relative new kid on the block TikTok fought Instagram and President Trump in 2020—and won, or at least called a truce of sorts. The social media platform, known for short video clips that become instant internet earworms, has grown into the hottest marking tool for brands, especially those trying to reach the coveted Gen Z crowd. The app currently boasts 800 million active users worldwide.

From viral hashtag challenges to livestreamed concerts, the platform has proved to be the breakout tech of the pandemic (besides Zoom, of course). And in addition to partnering with brands on virtual experiences, the service, which is owned by ByteDance, also hosts internal gatherings for its influencers and creators, such as Familia Latina, which was an informational event held specifically for the social media platform’s Latinx creators.

Virtual guests at Familia Latina were encouraged to explore the hacienda-style 3D environment, which included a graffiti mural in the backyard, a bookshelf with creator and trailblazer bios, and a virtual photo booth.Photo: Courtesy of EventiqueMost Innovative Event: In August 2020, The Weeknd presented The Weeknd Experience, an interactive extended reality (XR) broadcast on TikTok that racked up more than two million total views. Created with Wave and presented by XO/Republic Records, The Weeknd Experience featured impressive visuals including the singer, who appeared in digital avatar form. The experience followed a loose narrative, with The Weeknd leading fans through a hallucinatory XR world. During the broadcast, fans could vote in the comments and guide the visual theme of the experience. The event also raised $350,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative through sales of merch.

Why It’s Effective: Hilary Bergman, account director at Burns Group, told BizBash back in July 2020 that other social media platforms tend to be “more passive in nature,” but that “TikTok is a place where you want to join in. And it's really inspiring you to partake in the fun. It felt like a really great way to not only reach our audience but gain a lot of engagement with them. And then also the reach is really huge.”

What’s Next: In 2020, the Trump administration raised concerns about TikTok due to its Chinese ownership and the potential risk of user data being accessed by the Chinese government. At the end of December, the U.S. government appealed an earlier order by a judge that blocked the Commerce Department from imposing restrictions on the app that would have effectively barred its use in the U.S. But it will be up to the incoming Biden administration whether the government continues to try to ban TikTok.

TikTok kicked off Latinx Heritage Month by naming its first Latinx Trailblazers, including Jenny Martinez (@jennymartinezzz), who demonstrated how to make dulce de leche.Photo: Courtesy of Eventique