TikTok Advertising 
Nowadays, TikTok has brought about a significant shift, particularly for creators of content. TikTok’s unique approach highlights its users, making it an excellent platform for content creators. With the rise of user-generated content (UGC), brands have recognized the effectiveness of this strategy over traditional advertising methods. It is with this in mind that TikTok has implemented a new advertising format: TikTok Branded Mission.
So, what is TikTok Branded Mission? What are the advantages of TikTok Branded Mission? How can you use it to improve your brand awareness? Let’s explore them all!
What is TikTok Branded Mission?
TikTok Branded Mission is a unique advertising solution for businesses that allows them to gather genuine content from creators on TikTok. This solution not only boosts your advertisement strategy but also increases the chance of going viral on the platform. When advertisers create a Branded Mission, creators can select to take part in campaigns that inspire them. Then, using increased ad traffic, brands may pick their favorite original creative videos to promote.
Branded Mission offers two types of reservation ads for promotion: Branded Hashtag Challenge and Branded Effects. These ad formats are among the more expensive options on TikTok, but they can generate significant impressions for brands running marketing campaigns. To learn more about other ad formats and how to use them, you can watch our TikTok video series first before coming back and reading this blog.
TikTok Branded Mission: How does it work?
Brands first choose the requirements for a Branded Mission
To begin, the brand will create a comprehensive brief that outlines the various requirements that creators must fulfill to participate in the Branded Mission. Typically, the business will request that creators incorporate the following elements in their videos:
- Use a sound that has been specifically created for the brand
- Mention the brand in the video’s description
- Include a designated hashtag (e.g. for a hashtag challenge)
- Incorporate a specific effect in the video
Note that if a creator’s video fails to meet the conditions specified in the mission, it will not be considered for selection.
The creators participate in the mission
After the mission is created, TikTok content creators receive a notification and can choose to participate if they wish. To take part in brand missions, creators must be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of 1000 followers on TikTok. They have to adhere to the requirements outlined by the brand in the brief. Creators can submit up to three original UGC videos before the date specified by the brand to increase their chances of being selected.
The brand selects the best videos for the media campaign
TikTok’s algorithm will highlight videos with the best potential for interaction – that are also deemed brand-safe – and add these videos to a shortlist for marketers to choose from.
After advertisers select their preferred video, it becomes a media campaign, appearing as an In-Feed ad. Consequently, the chosen creator(s) receive cash payment and increased traffic. Meanwhile, entries from other creators will feature on the For You page as authentic TikTok content.
The Advantages of TikTok Branded Mission
Leveraging Branded Mission proves a strategic maneuver for businesses aiming for interactive engagement, facilitating seamless collaboration with influencers. Therefore, marketers can effortlessly post their requests, allowing creators to propose ideas, streamlining influencer outreach, and saving valuable effort.
Here are some major advantages of TikTok Branded Mission:
- Active community participation: Branded Mission fosters a sense of involvement and connection between the brand and its audience, creating a more interactive and engaging experience.
- Increased brand visibility and reach: Users participating in challenges often share their content with followers, potentially triggering a viral effect which means the brand to connect with a broader audience.
- User-generated content: Brands can inspire TikTok’s diverse audience to create videos in response to specific challenges, generating authentic and relevant content directly tied to the brand.
- Creating a community: Encouraging users to participate in challenges through active Branded Mission TikTok helps in community building. This sense of community fosters brand loyalty and long-term engagement.
- Tracking and analytics capability: This feature enables brands to measure the performance of challenges, gain TikTok audience insights, and refine marketing strategies accordingly. The ability to track campaign success empowers businesses to adapt and optimize their approach for maximum impact.
TikTok Branded Mission ad specs
To execute a successful campaign using Branded Mission, advertisers should adhere to certain essential elements and specifications.
TikTok Branded Mission campaign elements
The campaign elements encompass a strategic blend of features designed to maximize engagement and elevate your brand’s presence on the platform. As you embark on your campaign journey, here are key elements to consider:
Bundled Feature Page
The Bundled Feature Page showcases a brand’s Branded Mission, boosting campaign visibility and providing creators a platform to submit videos. The page’s user-friendly, enabling easy browsing and participation, and fostering greater engagement. It typically includes campaign explanations, participation guidelines, and successful video examples. Therefore, brands can customize their design for a consistent user experience.
Branded Mission Page
The Branded Mission Page serves as the main hub for advertisers to create their Branded Mission campaigns and for creators to submit their videos.
- Branded Mission Details Tab: This is where advertisers can specify the requirements for the campaign, such as the creative briefs, guidelines, and objectives. Additionally, advertisers can select the target audience, campaign duration, and budget.
- Branded Mission Submission Tab: This Tab allows creators to submit videos that meet the campaign requirements. Creators can review the campaign details, including the brief and guidelines, and submit their videos accordingly. Moreover, the Submission Tab also enables creators to track the status of their submissions and receive any feedback from the advertiser.
Mission Center Page
The Mission Center Page displays all challenges and missions, including Branded Missions. Advertisers manage their Branded Missions, found on the Branded Mission Page within the Mission Center. This centralizes campaign oversight for advertisers and facilitates user engagement with brand campaigns.
TikTok Branded Mission creative assets
TikTok Branded Mission campaigns combine strategic features to boost engagement and enhance your brand’s visibility on the platform. Here are essential elements to keep in mind:
Advertiser name
- Advertiser Name character: no more than 24 English characters.
- Blank spaces, emojis, and special characters are not supported, except for “&,”
Name of the Branded Mission
- The character is no more than 70 English characters
- Blank spaces, emojis, and special characters (< > ” &) are not supported.
- The names will be co-determined by the client and TikTok
Profile picture of the Branded Mission
- Picture size: 240 x 240px
- File size: 500KB or less
- Format: PNG, JPG, or JPEG
Description of your Branded Mission
- Descriptions are recommended to be under 150 English characters
Requirements of the Branded Mission
When developing a Branded Mission, it is necessary to establish the Requirements for TikTok creators. These requirements will specify the kind of content that TikTok creators must produce. Here are some requirements for TikTok creators:
- Must use official music
- Must use the official hashtag
- Mention the official account
- Must Use Branded Effect.
Example Video
Brands must provide at least one example video showing the type of content they want creators to make, or else, they will be unable to create a Branded Mission. Up to 10 example videos are allowed.
Top TikTok Branded Mission content examples
ASOS #ASOSAlterEgo
ASOS was the first European brand to utilize TikTok’s new Branded Mission, which they implemented in their Halloween #ASOSAlterEgo campaign. The fashion brand used its Branded Mission page to encourage participants to dress up as their Halloween “alter ego” and offered branded music and an effect that split the screen into four. Consequently, users easily create content and participate in the challenge.
According to TikTok’s statistics, the #ASOSAlterEgo campaign saw a 219% boost in relevant engagements and a 17% increase in relevant video creations with the introduction of the Branded Mission.
Origins #ShowYourOrigins
Origins’ launch into the TikTok world is a great example of the large effect that TikTok collaboration can have on branded content performance.
TikTok collaborated with the cosmetics company Origins to launch their TikTok account with the #ShowYourOrigins challenge, which invited people to share short videos celebrating their cultural heritage.
Realizing TikTok video ideas would appeal to Gen Z audiences, the business collaborated with a diverse group of influencers, and Origins re-posted the commissioned videos on their own account with a caption urging others to join in the trend.
Following this, TikTok asked additional influencers to post their own challenge videos and make them seem like an organic trend, and it was successful. In the first phase of the campaign, Origins’ TikTok profile grew from under 100 followers to over 10,500, generated numerous user-generated content videos from the TikTok community, and boosted brand sentiment, with each video receiving dozens of positive comments.
L’Oréal’s #WonderWaterWhip
Building on the success of L’Oréal’s #WonderWaterWhip & #WonderWaterDrip campaigns, the objective was to introduce the latest Elvive Hydra [Hyaluronic] hair care range with an even greater impact. To connect with the hair care community on TikTok, L’Oréal Paris aimed to foster engagement and elevate the profile of their new product through innovative content creation.
To ensure a powerful response and meaningful engagement, L’Oréal Paris employed a suite of premium TikTok ad solutions. By featuring a Branded Mission within the #LOrealHyaluronic Hashtag Challenge, they invited the UK TikTok community to participate by showcasing their hair transformation using the Hydra [Hyaluronic] 2% Moisture Plump Serum. This Branded Mission facilitated engagement by allowing creators to participate in campaigns that resonated with them, thus enabling L’Oréal Paris to amplify original content that aligned best with their brand.
As a result, the brand gained an 8.4% lift in ad recall, a 3.8% lift in brand favorability, and a Top Feed click-through rate 2X higher than UK benchmarks. The Branded Mission garnered over 1 million likes and 1.7K comments, fostering a wave of positive sentiment across the TikTok community.
Philips #airfryerrecipes
Versuni, the proprietors of Philips Airfryers in Turkey, aimed to strengthen their market position with the launch of the new Philips Airfryer XXL. In pursuit of this goal, the primary objective was to spotlight the Philips Airfryer XXL, boosting its visibility and driving sales by tapping into the thriving TikTok community.
Amidst the FoodTok trend on TikTok, where culinary content takes center stage, brands are seeking distinctive ways to stand out. Consequently, #airfryerrecipes emerged as a global and Turkish sensation, showcasing innovative recipes using air fryers. Versuni harnessed this trend by executing a Sponsored Mission during Ramadan, a period well-known for air fryer usage. This strategic move allowed Versuni to take ownership of the #airfryerrecipes trend, engaging the TikTok community and sourcing creator content at scale.
As a result, Versuni dominated TikTok trends, leading to a notable increase in Familiarity (+13 p.p) and Preference (+6 p.p) for Philips Airfryers. This bundled ad strategy sparked curiosity, driving TikTok searches and ensuring campaign success.
NIVEA #NIVEAGotMeLike
NIVEA, a global skincare brand, capitalized on a TikTok creator’s viral praise of Essentially Enriched Body Lotion, likening it to salad dressing. The goal was to utilize this quirky but relatable TikTok content to engage new customers authentically, aligning with the brand’s commitment to quality skincare and customer trust.
As a beta partner and skincare pioneer in Branded Mission, NIVEA aimed to demonstrate product effectiveness. They encouraged authentic creator expressions. Through personal engagement, they generated relevant content and expanded their audience. Branded Mission extended the Essentially Enriched Body Lotion narrative, attracting new audiences intrigued by genuine product love on TikTok.
NIVEA’s campaign generated 44.2 million boosted impressions and exceeded benchmarks with a +5.2% lift in Kantar-measured awareness. This result demonstrated exceptional user engagement, boasting 300% higher relevancy compared to a standard TikTok Branded Hashtag Challenge.
How to boost your brand awareness with TikTok Branded Mission?
Go niche
TikTok boasts a diverse array of communities, ranging from expansive to niche, encompassing interests like car enthusiasts and crochet masters. As a result, this diversity presents a significant advantage for brands, allowing you to precisely target your desired audiences and communities by engaging with them directly.
When setting the targeting for your Branded Mission, include the main characteristics of the customers you want to reach. But don’t be too strict! Aim for a niche audience, but keep it broad enough to explore more potential on the platform. We recommend maintaining a wide target audience to ensure you reach the right customers while leaving room for exploration. Keep a close eye on your ads to ensure they are on track and generating results for you, or ideally, your store.
Be a story-teller
TikTok highly values authenticity, fostering an environment where users freely express themselves. This aspect is crucial, particularly considering that most TikTok users are Gen Z. Influencers on TikTok have earned their followers’ trust by sharing authentic content, with three out of four users actively following them.
The influencers naturally excel in marketing, thanks to their profound grasp of the platform’s culture and their audience’s preferences. Consequently, they adeptly craft posts that resonate widely, leveraging their storytelling prowess to connect with your target demographic. By leveraging the partnership and entrusting influencers to craft authentic content, brands can enhance engagement and foster brand affinity with Gen Z.
Be a hub
Brands must consider their entire presence on TikTok, as some users may visit the brand’s account page if the campaign becomes popular. Consequently, if the audience engages with the brand’s content frequently, the TikTok algorithm may show them more of it. Thus highlighting the importance of adhering to TikTok brand guidelines to get your content noticed faster.
To effectively showcase the brand’s products and expertise, the brand’s entire TikTok account should be designed accordingly. By treating the TikTok account as a central hub, the brand can create an environment that attracts users to join their community. Since TikTok revolves around community, showcasing the brand’s community increases the likelihood of users following and engaging with the brand’s content.
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