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The New Creative Language: A Tokumentary | TikTok for Business

The New Creative Language: A Tokumentary | TikTok for Business

Welcome to this screening of a new creative language! If you have your mobile phone, please make sure it is switched on and TikTok is installed. Can you see my screen? Funny, isn’t it, how certain events make certain phrases suddenly become part of the everyday lexicon?

Well, today we’re talking – actually talking, listening, and observing – a new language of creativity. With 800,000 – no, 900,000 – wait, one billion active users, you get the idea; it’s a lot of people, just like these, who all talk TikTok. They consider it a language that’s joyful, fresh, and fun. Yep. Unless you’ve been living in a cave, well, even that’s no excuse, actually, TikTok has made a big impact on the world – 150 countries to be exact.

But here’s the one billion active user question: do you speak TikTok?

In the olden days, say circa 2019, the world used to be about polished, perfect, precise, and other words beginning with ‘P’. But that wasn’t really authentic. So, when TikTok arrived on the scene, it did so with a language that visually looked very different. And this is all because of the authenticity and creative passions of TikTok creators.

For anyone who’s spent any time on TikTok, you’ve probably seen creators producing creative work like this, this, this, this, this – oh, and this. And that’s me, Francis Bourgeois, on my scooter in a fetching red colorway – great for tail whips. I found TikTok was a place where I could speak my language and creatively express my passion for trains.

An Interview with Francis Bourgeois

Right, are you ready for the interview bit? Here’s me talking to me about the creative language of TikTok.

Francis: Hi, what inspired you to start creating content on TikTok?

Francis: I really love trains. It’s just my passion, really. And with Trainspotting and being able to document that and create videos around that, it’s combining two areas of things that I really love.

Francis: Do you have any hidden talents?

Francis: I can move my scalp independently of my face.

Francis: What creative opportunities has TikTok given you?

Francis: It’s given me connections to brands which I never thought would really happen and has given me a chance to shine a brand’s message through my lens.

Francis: Intriguing. What brands have you actually worked with?

Francis: So I’ve worked with Gucci, Spotify, ASOS, GB Rail Freight…

Francis: How much freedom do you have when creating with brands?

Francis: In making my videos, I’m sculpting it completely. If creative freedom is given, then I feel confident the video will work even before I’ve started planning or shooting it.

Francis: Any advice for brands that want to creatively collaborate?

Francis: My points for brands working with creators are as follows: 1. Let them express what makes them, them. 2. Collaborate but never dictate. 3. Tap into their own style and strength of content. 4. Remember, TikTok users come to be entertained.

Well, that was weird. See ya, see ya, bye!

Anyway, back to it. I find what I said really interesting and it just goes to show why 61% of users feel advertising on TikTok is unique.

Headphones on as we take a listen to how music has set the tone and soundtrack to this new language.

TikTok is a sound-on platform where music drives every trend. In fact, adding audio gives a 16% additional lift in impressions. Now these viral beats have sparked creativity to inspire original dance crazes like these – join in if you know them.

That was fun.

All kinds of established artists are getting involved. Here’s me crowd-surfing at a Sam Fender gig. It’s become the place to propel breakthrough musicians into the big time, like Sam Ryder, who started in his bedroom and went on to perform the UK’s entry to Eurovision and came second. Go Sam!

Lyrics capture a moment we can all relate to and take part in, like when Lady Leshurr took her classic football anthem and reimagined it for the TikTok generation in partnership with JD Sports for the Euros.

A Chat with Lady Leshurr

Over to you, Lady Leshurr.

Francis: Do you have any vegetable-related nicknames?

Lady Leshurr: My mom calls me Pea because I’ve got a really tiny head.

Francis: Has TikTok changed the way you create music?

Lady Leshurr: It has changed my creative approach. I do keep in mind that certain things I say will go viral.

Francis: How is it seeing TikTok users interacting with your music?

Lady Leshurr: I think it’s great seeing creators do things to my music because you never know where that’s going to go when you’re in the writing process.

Francis: What was it like creatively collaborating with JD?

Lady Leshurr: Working with JD was amazing. They were able to access my audience, and it was just great to see the impact that it had across TikTok organically. The growth was amazing and the engagement was huge.

Francis: Give us your POV on what makes brand content stand out on TikTok?

Lady Leshurr: I think uniqueness on TikTok is the biggest selling point because if you’re completely different to everybody else, you’ll have more engagement, more likes, more views.

Cheers Lady L, great chatting with you. Thanks, fantastic.

And it’s not just music you know; there’s spoken word and the accidental trademark of the platform – text-to-speech. Right, time to head to our last section, all aboard!

Fluent in the Creative Language: Brand Techniques

Hopefully, now the language is starting to make a bit more sense as we see how brands are becoming more fluent in all the wonderful ways of speaking the creative language of TikTok.

Now, it’s about bringing it all together – the magic and wizardry. It’s these creative tricks and techniques that make it visually feel TikTok. What started as transitions has become an art form and spawned supercut specialists. The key on TikTok is to move; no more static, polished shots. Here’s DeNiro, whose 6.3 million followers agree.

Hi, I’m DeNiro, and this is what I did for BMW.

Francis: What makes TikTok creatively different from other platforms?

DeNiro: On TikTok, you don’t have any boundaries at all. You can be or do anything you want.

Francis: Interesting. So what makes TikTok such a creatively fascinating place?

DeNiro: That’s very simple, because I love to see how creativity spreads on this platform. It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist, a football player, a dancer, or a singer; TikTok is a platform for every single person and every single message.

Francis: What are transitions and why are they so popular?

DeNiro: Transitions are a very magical way to change clothes or the location you’re in. They got very popular because it’s much cooler than just a simple cut.

Francis: Any creative advice for a brand’s first TikTok?

DeNiro: Be creative, be fresh, and have fun.

Great, thanks DeNiro! Oh, there he goes, very clever.

So there you have it – a new way of filming, from transitions to supercuts to montages and live streams. TikTok is always in motion and the language is always evolving too, with new terms and trending moments. More brands are bringing their message to more people, but what remains as always is the core language of creativity.

Conclusion

Congratulations, in only 8 minutes and 14 seconds, you can now speak TikTok. Which leaves me with one final question: how are you going to get creative with your next TikTok campaign? Speak soon!

Keywords

  • TikTok
  • Creativity
  • Francis Bourgeois
  • Trainspotting
  • Authenticity
  • Music Trends
  • Lady Leshurr
  • Brand Collaboration
  • Transitions
  • DeNiro

FAQs

1. What makes TikTok unique compared to other platforms?

  • TikTok is unique in its emphasis on authenticity, creativity, and a visually distinct language driven by music, trends, and user-generated content.

2. How can brands effectively collaborate with TikTok creators?

  • Brands should allow creators to express what makes them unique, collaborate without dictating, tap into their style and content strengths, and remember that TikTok users come to be entertained.

3. What are some creative techniques popular on TikTok?

  • Popular creative techniques on TikTok include transitions, supercuts, montages, and live streams.

4. How important is music on TikTok?

  • Music is crucial on TikTok, as it drives trends and increases engagement significantly. Adding audio can give a 16% lift in impressions.

5. What advice do TikTok creators have for brands new to the platform?

  • Be creative, fresh, and have fun. Unique content stands out and attracts more engagement, likes, and views.

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