How Mastercard Singapore used TikTok to champion autism awareness
Mastercard is a global technology leader in the payments industry, powering fast and secure electronic transactions through its credit, debit, and prepaid card programs. Beyond its trusted digital payment solutions, Mastercard drives innovation in cybersecurity, data analytics, and consultancy services. The brand’s mission is to create a more inclusive, connected, and cashless economy.
Mastercard Singapore sought to explore TikTok’s potential role in strengthening its CSR initiatives. It wanted to see how it could combine advertising with driving social impact, starting with its campaign to promote awareness of and educate the public on the impact of hidden disabilities like autism for persons affected and their caregivers.
As part of its CSR efforts, Mastercard SG partnered with St. Andrew’s Autism Centre (SAAC), a Singaporean non-profit that supports persons with autism and their families by providing care, training, and education. This collaboration aimed to raise awareness, promote acceptance, and foster a deeper understanding of autism.
To amplify the campaign, Mastercard SG decided to leverage TikTok’s massive reach and use the hashtag #AcceptanceMatters. It turned to TikTok for Good, a global social impact content program enabling organizations to engage TikTok audiences and create meaningful, real-world change. This type of TikTok campaign, which combined social impact with advertising, was a first for Mastercard SG.
The brand used a mix of ad formats, including Reach & Frequency, TopView, and H5 Page. TopView ads appear as soon as users launch TikTok, delivering immersive, full-screen exposure and immediate brand visibility. Meanwhile, an H5 Page is a fast-loading, mobile-friendly landing page where brands can guide users through tailored content without leaving TikTok. Mastercard SG also utilized TikTok’s Display Card, an interactive add-on allowing brands to include customizable cards within video ads.
The campaign’s H5 Page included photos and short videos of different persons with autism, offering glimpses into their daily experiences as a way to foster awareness and empathy. A call-to-action button led users to SAAC’s web page on #AcceptanceMatters where they could find more information about autism and the partner companies championing autism inclusion with SAAC.
Mastercard SG’s autism awareness campaign featured KOLs who shared personal stories to challenge misconceptions about autism. For example, one video featured a creator’s experience with her sister with autism. Boosted videos highlighted autism traits, sparking positive user comments and engagement.
TikTok proved to be a valuable platform for Mastercard SG’s efforts to raise autism awareness. The campaign garnered around 20 million impressions, along with some 20,000 views of the carousel images on the H5 page. Using a Display Card also helped the brand boost engagement by 3% to 4%.
A Brand Lift Study showed that Mastercard SG achieved a 4.8% boost in Ad Recall, driven by its high-impact TopView strategy and meaningful content around the #AcceptanceMatters messaging.
The campaign also sparked conversations about autism. Many commenters expressed appreciation for the autism awareness campaign. One user highlighted the value of enlightening older family members who may not be aware of this hidden disability. Another stated that they have been looking up autism online but the campaign’s added context helped them understand autism better.
Mastercard SG’s TikTok for Good strategy highlights how TikTok can be an effective tool for creating meaningful change while improving brand recall.
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