We started TIKTAL back in 2019, at first facing skepticism from brands who couldn’t see a direct RoI from influencer marketing on TikTok…Fast forward a few years, and TikTok is one of the most downloaded apps of all time, with over 3 billion downloads and an average engagement rate that far surpasses any other social media platforms.
So if you’re new to the app, or need some inspiration from brands who are crushing it on TikTok, here are 17 brands you should pay attention to.
1. Merci Handy
Merci Handy is a French brand that sells practical and colorful everyday cosmetics, with at least 95% natural-origin ingredients. The brand also focuses on the vegan cosmetics sub-niche. They make playful and fun videos showcasing their products, such as their hydroalcoholic gel.
@mercihandy Thank you @charlidamelio. Thank you. (We repost it from the US for our 🇺🇸 friends, because the world needs to see this) #danse #dance ♬ son original – Merci Handy 🌈
2. Sephora
What’s Sephora doing on TikTok? Showcasing and testing their products, sometimes with a touch of humor (see “nailed it“), and presenting their collections of lipsticks and color palettes. Many videos are close-up, stylized videos of creator’s faces as they try the products on. Beauty tutorials, hairstyles, and influencer marketing done right – subtly.
@sephora Hurry, pick your favorite shade!! #foryou #fyp ♬ GRL PWR – sephora
3. Chipotle
One word to describe Chipotle’s strategy on TikTok: humor. The brand focuses on comedy and fun, and then sprinkles even more humor on top of their varied videos.
Most of their clips come across as very natural and unpolished, but they also work with famous comedians on both Instagram and TikTok, including Nathan the Cat Lady, Taylor’s VIDS, Joshua Sadowski and Brittany Broski. They typically make fun of how long customers can wait for their food, how many times a week customers go to Chipotle, and how not to eat a burrito. Chipotle’s message is simply to not take yourself too seriously, which is pretty well aligned with what TikTok was designed for in the first place!
@chipotle Mama Penny’s burritos are unmatched. @itssadowski #chipotle #comedy ♬ original sound – Chipotle
4. Zalando
Music and playfulness could sum up Zalando’s approach on TikTok. Their posts feature trendy music and choreographed dance moves. Unboxing clothes and shoes also appear frequently. The brand has called upon several beauty and fashion influencers to create original content for them, such as a makeup tutorial for Halloween. With 1.6 million followers, they’re clearly doing something right!
@zalando Say ‘baa baa’ to ya new kicks cause these are the G.O.A.T 🐐 #ZalandoStreet #Jordan #Sneakers ♬ original sound – Zalando
5. Gymshark
Gymshark is killing it on TikTok and in business more broadly. The rising fitness brand’s formula on TikTok includes impressive workouts, stunts, pranks, and above all, challenges. So. Many. Challenges.
These have included the #standupchallenge with Demi Bagby, a young athlete who became an official brand partner. Gymshark brilliantly executed its transition from Instagram to TikTok by creating original content with a clear “Wow!” effect, that displays athletic prowess. Hats off to them!
@gymshark We still can’t believe this happened 😮 tag your biggest supporter 💜 @demibagby #gymshark #gymshark66 #ladieswholift ♬ original sound – Gymshark
6. Fenty Beauty
Rihanna’s brand did not wait for everyone to be on TikTok before seizing the opportunity. Fenty went in head-first on the app, and never looked back. There’s nothing incredibly surprising on their page, with the usual makeovers and face transformations, alongside appearances from the star herself. Simply showing real-world uses of the products, and explaining how to make the most of them, seems to have done the trick.
@fentybeauty Tis the season of giving and SMELLING irresistible AF! 🎁✨ Tag someone who you’d like to gift our #FENTYPARFUM ♬ Deck the Halls – Lofi – Gentle State
7. Burberry
When we began our journey here at TIKTAL, the brand had a grand total of 2 videos on its page…a far cry from today’s 1.5 million followers and close to 20 million likes.
Burberry knows how to tease. They started off strong on TikTok with the #TBChallenge, where users could master the classic Thomas Burberry Monogram. They realized the impact of being on TikTok from the get go and haven’t stopped since.
@burberry Ready for the #TBChallenge ♬ Some Velvet Morning (feat. Kate Moss) – Primal Scream
8. Guess
“Young. Sexy. Timeless.” is Guess’s bio on TikTok, a shout-out to the muses who represent the brand, including Amanda Cerny and Model Roz. The brand relies on 2 core angles in their content: fashion or dance influencers, and their events (such as concerts and photo shoots). There’s also a “fit of the day” theme whereby users can get tagged by the brand for showcasing the brand outfits they wear, a few challenges sprinkled here and there, and voila!
@guess why buy one when you can buy them all? 💝#GUESSHandbags #BlackFriday ♬ bando by playboi carti prod. by ta2cute x yugen – brendan
9. Clarins
Clarins works with french influencers like Candice.trcc and Fabiancrfx who promote their products in a light-hearted, authentic way. They demonstrate how little time it takes to treat your skin with Clarins, and put heavy emphasis on the quality of the products, which are positioned as vegan-friendly and all natural.
@clarinsofficial Looking for Secret Santa gifts or stocking stuffers 🎄 We’ve got plenty of options at friendly prices, online and in-store 🎁 #secretsantagift #stockingstuffers #clarins #holidaygiftideas ♬ original sound – Way Of Yaw
10. Undiz
A smaller brand selling underwear and pyjamas, their products include playful onesies in fake fur. They’re funny to wear, comfy, and often feature pop culture references such as Disney or hit TV series’ characters in the shape of animals.
Undiz launched at the same time as its own TikTok account – clearly, the platform was integral to the brand’s marketing strategy. They immediately released their own branded challenge, #FUNDIZFAIR, where creators would use the before / after filter to make a “U” and a “Z” with their fingers, cut to an evening outfit, and finally a fur onesie.
This challenge garnered a whopping 46 million views in 9 days only, although the brand had a small following back then (and still, to this day, only under 70,000 followers). Talk about hitting the ground running!
@undizfamilyÀ la recherche du cadeau parfait ? Préparez votre shopping de Noël pour toute la famille chez Undiz♬ son original – undizfamily
11. Meet Cleo
Money management app Meet Cleo is “Like a bank, if they actually cared”, according to their slogan. The brand uses TikTok to boost awareness in a creative way.
They post mini-videos such as “The 5 Things to See in the World” or “How to Save for Your Holidays”. The brand also collaborates with influencers who take a comical stance on topics such as “I don’t have the money to buy a Tesla”, or “I don’t have money for Valentine’s Day”.
@meetcleo Bag lovers, this one’s for you. #costperwear #sustainablefashion #moneytok #fintok #telfar #roastmode #budgeting #budgetingtips ♬ original sound – Cleo
12. GoPro
GoPro joined TikTok later than other brands, but quickly established a strong following, now sitting at 2.4 million followers. Their social media strategy doesn’t rely on influencers – instead, they put out their own, organic content. Videos range from ski failures, a marriage proposal in a helicopter (of all places!), parkour in 360 view, and a skateboarding cat – all of which ring true to the brand’s dare-devil nature.
@gopro History class looks a bit different from #GoProAthlete @jebcorliss’s POV 🤴 #gopro #gopromax #goprohero11 #egypt #pyramids #skydiving #proximityflying #crazy ♬ original sound – GoPro
13. Primark
The well-known retail brand creates all kinds of content on TikTok. On their page, you’ll find anything from make-up tutorials to sneak peeks into their new collections in collaboration with Lotto and Billie Eilish. They also create seasonable content around Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Nutella Day for example. There’s also a mixture of clean, polished videos of models, alongside more rough-and-ready tours of their shops.
@primark Get ready with @rachelnoelleclark✨ #primark #grwm #partyszn #partyoutfit ♬ LLO – Official Sound Studio
14. The Washington Post
The Washington Post has popularized editorial content on TikTok. The brand uses trendy music and filters, takes part in challenges and is great at conveying news in a fun, engaging way via humours skits that bring readers up to speed on the latest events. It’s a fine line between real news coverage and humor, which the newspaper is threading very well.
@washingtonpostDonald Trump’s namesake company was convicted Tuesday of tax crimes committed by two of its longtime executives.♬ Homelander nothing left to lose – 15econdreviews
15. Gocase
You won’t find many faces on this phone case brand’s TikTok, mostly hands and…phone cases. Gocase Brazil puts out videos that follow a consistent pattern. This typically includes hands playing with accessories, and ultimately, everything flows back to their products, always at the center of the content.
Their greatest asset is the customization of their cases and the variety of available designs, hip and trendy. The brand’s clips stay true to its visual identity and tone, ensuring overall consistency. With 2.6 million likes and counting, it seems viewers aren’t getting bored anytime soon!
@gocase Quem dera fosse assim mesmo hahaha #memestiktok #OPalcoETodoSeu #gocase ♬ GASLIGHT – INJI
16. Apple Music
Apple Music’s content stands out from the usual TikTok best practice: it’s highly polished and thought out in detail, rather than natural and off the cuff. Still, their videos are engaging, giving viewers a window into exciting fashion and music events, and the lives of many A-list celebrities. Cardi B, Christina Aguilera, J Lo or Ed Sheeran…you name it!
The videos are never directly promotional, though; the celebs might respond to questions about their personal life, such as “What would you do with $ 1 billion?” or “If you could give advice to your adolescent self, what would it be?” This keeps the content light, young, trendy, and personal. Along with the high quality of the content, the perfect editing, and top notch music, Apple Music got the mix right.
@applemusic The Biggest Bird takes over #AppleMusicLive. Go behind the scenes with #Wizkid’s stylist Karen Binns and watch the show Monday at 12PM PT, only on Apple Music. 🦅 #NewMusic #MoreLoveLessEgo ♬ original sound – Apple Music
17. Be Gummy
Last but not least, Be Gummy is great example of how smaller, European consumer brands can also win on TikTok. From pyjamas, slippers and jeans to mugs and card games, the brand has a pretty diverse product range. This then gives them a lot of freedom in terms of content, which includes dancing to trendy songs, filming birthdays, or taking part in the #shootchallenge. Fun, glitter, and unicorns – these videos are always eye-catchy but stay natural. TikTok at its finest!
@begummy Fais comme @jeremstar ♬ son original – BEGUMMY 🦄
Final Thoughts
The above brands have shown a path forward for those who want to shine on TikTok. Keep an eye on their content to get some inspiration for your next campaign!
Want to step up your social media marketing game on TikTok? At TIKTAL, we help brands tap into the power of TikTok, by connecting them with the most relevant creators and managing campaigns to hit brand goals. Reach out to us today!