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Going back to school—I mean, logging back into school—is a tricky subject this year.
For marketers, promoting to parents right now feels worse than hearing someone call crayons "crowns." That’s because parents are not only already strapped for cash, but also likely serving as unpaid teachers themselves this year.
So marketers are trying to speak to kids in their own language—TikTok somehow feels less salesy right now.
Growth spurts
Where better to target the youths than on TikTok?
- The platform skews young—41% of users are probably still in school, at ages 16-24.
- It also has an entire guide for parents with users (AKA children) under 13.
TikTok seems like the perfect platform to target young people with back to school marketing. It was already the hottest app in the U.S. before quarantine, but it has exploded even bigger since then—it’s literally the most downloaded app in the app store right now.
Plus, the company has been working to make itself more appealing to marketers for both organic and paid purposes.
Homeroom’s new meaning
If you’re curious about the brands running these TikTok campaigns, here’s a list of a few that caught my eye:
American Eagle Outfitters shot its entire campaign mimicking popular TikTok videos on Zoom. The brand used everyone from regular users (or, you know, kids) to the second most popular TikToker, Addison Rae, which created a mix of user generated content (UGC) and influencer marketing effects.
Dick’s Sporting Goods features Nicole Laeno of TikTok fame in its campaign in an effort to generate TikTok views and a brand presence for the sports retailer.
Hollister’s back to school TikTok campaign focused on denim that’s not nearly as low waisted as it was when I shopped there back in the early 2000s, so it’s a win in my book. The campaign combines early oughts nostalgia with current TikTok celebs: Bill Nye and Charli and Dixie D’Amelio perform “experiments” that suggest there’s science behind these jeans and their fit.
Bottom line: As a cruel summer comes to an end and back to school deals heat up, marketers are flocking to the platform teens have viewed as a social lifeline throughout the pandemic.