Why moments matter more on TikTok
How brands can turn cultural events into lasting connections through dynamic, authentic content on TikTok.
From tentpole moments like the Summer Games to cultural moments like Valentine's Day to brand-owned moments like product launches, content fuels connection, celebration, and engagement. For brands, keeping up can be a challenge — but that's also where there's opportunity. On TikTok, content doesn't just capture moments — it expands them, making cultural conversations more dynamic, authentic, and impactful. In other words, moments matter more on TikTok.
The way people experience moments has evolved. Today, many viewers are actively looking for more immersive viewing experiences. And TikTok delivers that. It's no longer just about watching the broadcast or ads on TV — it's about the active engagement in culture taking place on TikTok before, during and after the moment.
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.
Take the Paris Summer Games, for example. The excitement started weeks before the Opening Ceremony, with fans revisiting iconic moments, following their favorite athletes, and gearing up for the Games. The number of Games-related videos grew by over 300% in the month leading up to the event,¹ showing clear anticipation before the world turned its attention to Paris.
Once the Games began, that momentum exploded — TikTok saw nearly 600,000 videos between July 29 and August 11, as the community reacted in real time, celebrated victories, and turned standout performances into trends.
This high level of engagement has implications for brands as well. According to a new research study conducted by MAGNA, 41% of people who regularly follow major tentpole events on our platform were TV's hardest to reach: light and non-TV streamers.² 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.
TikTok continues to be the go-to destination for experiencing and participating in the world’s biggest cultural moments. TikTok is where audiences are engaged, and marketers can tap into the excitement around cultural events to help support their advertising outcomes, such as brand awareness and reaching new audiences. Our latest research with MAGNA shows that TikTok is now the go-to medium for viewing tentpole events, with 42% of users using short-form video platforms multiple times a day following an event.
For advertisers, this presents a unique opportunity. While traditional media captures a moment in time, TikTok extends the life of any moment, no matter how big or small, turning it into an ongoing conversation that sustains engagement and reaches your target audience far beyond the main event.
Plan early to make every moment count
Did you know that TikTok users are 1.64x more likely to first hear about tentpole events on TikTok (vs other platforms and channels),² according to the MAGNA study? Winning moments on TikTok start with early planning. When brands plan ahead, they set themselves up for greater reach, stronger engagement, and lasting impact.
Why plan early?
Reserve premium inventory before it sells out, ensuring your brand is front and center when it matters most.
Align creative and media strategy so your messaging feels seamless, relevant, and ready to engage audiences at the right time. Planning early also ensures you have a strong pipeline of creative assets ready to deploy, keeping your content fresh, dynamic, and tailored to sustain engagement throughout the moment.
Extend the moment beyond the event by planning follow-up campaigns that keep the momentum going.
By getting ahead, your brand can show up stronger, drive deeper engagement, and make every moment work harder.
How TikTok helps brands own the moment
TikTok offers a suite of solutions that helps brands seamlessly integrate into the moments that matter most.
1. Be the first thing people see with TopView
Ensure your brand is top of mind as the conversation unfolds with TopView, TikTok's biggest billboard, appearing the moment users open the app. It's the perfect way to build awareness ahead of a key moment with all eyes on you. When launched during moments, brands using TopView saw a +30% increase in unaided recall and a +47% increase in aided recall in brand or product mentions.²
2. Tap into the hottest trending conversations and most premium moments content with the TikTok Pulse suite
The TikTok Pulse suite places your brand alongside top trending content with flexibility, precision, and control.
Pulse Premiere ensures brand-safe placement next to premium publisher content tied to key moments, like the Big Game or Spring College Basketball Tournament. As a matter of fact, advertisers who launched creative with Pulse Premiere during an aligned moment saw an +8% increase in overall favorability versus control.²
Pulse Lineups aligns your brand with top-trending user-generated content in specific categories like sports, fashion, or entertainment, helping you sustain hyper-relevance at key times in the year. This guarantees your brand shows up next to the hottest trending content. Pulse Lineup ads that ran next to sports and recreation content in July and August 2024 were 259x more likely to appear adjacent to top trending #USATeam videos than other ads, proving that TikTok keeps brands at the center of cultural conversations when engagement is at its highest.²
On TikTok, moments aren't fleeting — they're fuel for continuous engagement
TikTok isn't just where moments happen — it's where they take on a life of their own. A single moment can spark conversation, inspire creativity, and drive action that lasts far beyond the event itself.
For brands, this means the opportunity is bigger than ever. Whether it's a global tentpole event, a cultural celebration, or your brand's own moment, TikTok has revolutionized the way moments are consumed and offers the tools you need to connect with audiences in relevant, engaging, and authentic ways.
Which moment will your brand own next?
Sources
1. TikTok internal hashtag data, global, June to August 2024
2. TikTok Marketing Science Global, The TikTok Blueprint for Tentpole Success 2024, conducted by Magna