TikTok is a mystery to advertising and PR professionals, as well as governments and legislators. And it looks like the social network just scored a stupid own goal.
On the one hand, TikTok remains the fastest growing social network in the world as of 2020, having outperformed competitors such as Instagram and WeChat and is now approaching two billion users while gaining ground against market leader Facebook.
Thus, it is an attractive environment for marketers. TikTok is becoming more and more flexible in its formats. Originally known for short video clips, the Gen Z-loved platform is now rolling out a feature called Series, allowing popular TikTok creators to share videos up to 20 minutes long.
Some advertisers have had real success with longer films, not least Hilton Hotels and Resorts, which featured popular 10-minute videos featuring a range of influencers including Paris Hilton, the great-granddaughter of the chain’s founder. On the other hand, there are still serious concerns about TikTok being owned by the Chinese.
They also feel a movement against the glamorous influencer phenomenon that TikTok has capitalized on. Many marketers believe that their consumer audience is moving away from mass consumption towards a value-based lifestyle.
In fact, TikTok faced backlash last week for its “Bold Glamor” online beauty filter, which treats its users’ skin while altering their bone structure and applying makeup that represents so-called “perfection.”
The filter has been used over 15 million times at the time of writing, but it seems to have come as a blow to those who advocate more authentic images of “true beauty” out of concern for female self-esteem.
This week, Dove, who has been championing true beauty since 2004, took the stand and launched the #TurnYourBack campaign created by Ogilvy and David, urging people to ditch the bold glam filter and the rest of the digital distortion to clean up.
Even though such a brand has the right to preach about these issues, there is no doubt that the filter is another issue for TikTok’s reputation. Social media platforms are scrambling to avoid tougher rules that many see as belated, and their arguments are not backed up by initiatives that could damage teens’ self-esteem.
Source: I News
I am Moises Cosgrove and I work for a news website as an author. I specialize in the market section, writing stories about the latest developments in the world of finance and economics. My articles are read by people from all walks of life, from investors to analysts, to everyday citizens looking for insight into how news will affect their finances.