TikTok Shares Insights into How Marketers Can Tap Into Major Events

TikTok has published a new research report, in partnership with Magna, which looks at how brands can tap into “tentpole” events, and maximize their marketing efforts in alignment with major topical trends.

Tentpole events in this context could be major sporting moments, like the Olympics, or cultural events like Valentine’s Day. It could even relate to your own product launches, with the tips in the report highlighting how brands can maximize interest around a broader theme.

And given the way that people consume media is changing, there are many considerations to factor in, and variable approaches depending on your target audience.

As per TikTok:

“On TikTok, people don’t just watch moments – they proactively shape them, creating their own takes, remixing trends, sharing reactions, and, of course, shopping for the event. And unlike traditional platforms, these conversations can start weeks before, reach new heights during, and sustain long after the moment has passed.”

The full report, which you can download here, provides insights into how people engage with major events, and what that means for ad reach

The report also highlights the variance in online platforms and traditional TV viewing, and where the two intersect:

“41% of people who regularly follow major tentpole events on [TikTok] were TV’s hardest to reach: light and non-TV streamers. Why? Because, while TV showed what happened, TikTok was the epicenter of the conversation – inviting both users and brands to be a part of it all.”

It also looks at regional variances:

The value of influencers in tentpole marketing:

As well as key ad approaches to maximize resonance around events:

There are some interesting notes here, which could help to get you thinking on how you can maximize your marketing efforts around big cultural events.

And while a lot of the notes here are geared towards bigger brands, with TV ad budgets, there are still some relevant points that relate to any business looking to hook into the hype surrounding big events.

You can download the TikTok/Magna tentpole events study here.