Blog: SATS

Learn How SATS Used MMM to Surface TikTok’s True Sales Impact in the Nordics

October 08, 2025
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SATS (Elixia in Finland) ran a Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) project in collaboration with Dentsu Nordics, across four Nordic markets (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland). The goal? To understand TikTok’s real contribution to sales and to uncover which creative formats drive the most impact.


What is MMM - and why does it matter?

Marketing mix modeling is a statistical method that uses historical data to evaluate how various marketing activities affect sales and other key performance indicators (KPIs). Rather than attributing all credit to the last touchpoint, MMM helps brands see the full picture: which channels, media types, and creatives truly move the needle. Using MMM, brands can better allocate budget, optimize channels, and maximize return on investment (ROI).


About SATS

As the largest fitness chain in the Nordics, SATS (Elixia) operates over 275 clubs, employs 10,000+ people, and serves more than 700,000 members across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The brand has been an early adopter of TikTok ad products, combining paid and organic strategies to authentically connect with audiences. Their content strategy centers on real people; employees from local clubs, creating native-style videos that feel relatable, energetic, and true to the TikTok experience. This consistent, creator-first approach positioned SATS perfectly for a deeper measurement study: revealing how both investment strategy and creative type drive membership sign-ups across the Nordics.


Key findings: TikTok delivers across the Nordics

From the MMM study, TikTok emerged as SATS strongest always-on performance channel, outperforming social, search, video, and offline media in all four markets:

  1. Sweden: 7.71x ROI from TikTok Ads

  2. Norway: 11.15x ROI from TikTok Ads

  3. Finland: 9.34x ROI from TikTok Ads

  4. Denmark: 11.30x ROI from TikTok Ads


These results confirm: TikTok isn’t just a discovery channel, it drives measurable conversions at scale.


Creative deep dive: what type of UGC works best?

To understand which creative formats perform best, we segmented SATS TikTok ad spend into two content categories:

  1. UGC Tactical: native-style content with promotional messaging, price points, or clear calls to action

  2. UGC Storytelling: content that embraces narrative, emotion, or brand story without overt sales messaging


SATS creative strategy for TikTok focuses on authenticity and community. Instead of polished, studio-shot videos, the brand empowers gym employees to become on-camera ambassadors, creating content that feels local, human, and genuinely “for TikTok.”


In Norway, Denmark, and Finland, UGC Storytelling outperformed UGC Tactical in driving sales uplift. Why? Storytelling content tends to hold attention longer, making it more memorable and more likely to influence future purchase behavior.


In practice, this means that content which feels native and narrative-driven can outperform direct promotional formats on TikTok, especially in the Nordic fitness category.


What This Means for Brands

  • Invest over time: SATS’ multi-year commitment to TikTok created a data foundation for this sophisticated modeling.

  • Go native first: Storytelling formats that lean into emotion and narrative tend to create stronger sales impact than overt promotional messaging in the majority of cases.

  • Use MMM to unlock insights: Traditional last-touch attribution often undervalues upper- and mid-funnel activity. MMM surfaces the hidden value of discovery, awareness, and creative resonance.





This is a TikTok case study and is solely for informational purposes. Past performance does not guarantee or predict future performance.