Guides and how-to's

The AI uprising in advertising: TikTok is leading the charge

October 13, 2025

AI is changing everything, but for most marketers, it can feel more like chaos than clarity. Discover how full-funnel automation can bridge strategy, media, and creative in this piece from Lunar Solar Group and TikTok. Coauthored by Pierson Krass, Founder, Lunar Solar Group and Tara Pettus, Head of Agency, TikTok

Tara Pettus & Pierson Krass

Most AI tools promise speed, scale, and efficiency, but deliver little more than fragmented features. Creative, media, and measurement are often managed and optimized separately.


Smart brands are moving differently. With full-funnel automation on TikTok, they’re building systems that link creative, media, and measurement into a single adaptive loop that actually reflects the realities of modern marketing.


TikTok and Lunar Solar Group have partnered to share what it takes to build that loop, what it unlocks when it’s running, and how brands are already using it to move faster and grow smarter.


AI opportunities: what’s holding brands back


There’s no shortage of excitement around AI tools, but beyond the allure of flashy demos and marketing sizzle reels, today’s AI landscape can seem more like a fragmented maze than a streamlined solution. Here are some observations from agencies and brand marketers:


Fragmented tools 🔧

Most current-gen AI tools are siloed: one for video generation, another for copywriting, another one for audio. Creative and media automation tools rarely speak the same language. Brand and performance functions exist in parallel, not in sync. Marketers are left piecing together puzzle parts that never quite form a complete picture.


Creative misses the mark 🎯

Automated outputs can feel formulaic, uncanny, or just off. And in an era where authenticity drives engagement, templated assets may check a box, but they rarely spark connection.


The confidence gap 🤔

With complexity comes caution. Marketers on the ground often tell us they’re overwhelmed by AI tools, making it easy for them to doubt their decisions about which to use. They want visibility, control, and results they can trust. They want to know: “Can I rely on this to scale my strategy? Or am I handing over the keys to something I don’t fully understand?”



The result? Missed potential

Wasted budgets. And brands that get outperformed by savvier competitors with leaner teams and smarter tools.



And that’s where TikTok stands out


TikTok has already revolutionized how culture is created, discovered, and shared, making it uniquely positioned to meet all of these pain points head-on. By bringing media and creative into one system, TikTok’s automation suite replaces siloed tools with a streamlined mega-powerful engine for growth.

Automation

With TikTok Symphony integrations built into Smart+, Lunar is uniting predictive AI (to optimize results by objective) with generative AI (to fuel creative variety at scale) to create a single system where brand, creative, and performance run in harmony.


Providing unmatched creative scale, TikTok’s ecosystem makes it easy to source, remix and amplify UGC, far beyond the capabilities of any other platform.


A strategic approach to TikTok automation


As one of the TikTok Marketing Partners and an official TikTok Shop Partner, Lunar Solar Group has had front-row access to how TikTok helps brands automate with excellence. In this report, Lunar has partnered with TikTok to help marketers harness automation in a way that's strategic, creative, and performance driven, so they can scale what works and ditch what doesn't.


Quote

We've seen strong results with Smart+, especially for conversion-focused campaigns and lead gen.
Smart+ is easy to deploy and user-friendly, optimizing creative for straightforward performance without heavy manual work.

Pierson Krass, Founder
Lunar Solar Group

Automation Table 2

TikTok is growing its AI ecosystem


TikTok is partnering with top agencies like Lunar Solar Group to experiment, learn, and innovate across key areas such as:



Frame 46

Quote

Most brands aren’t short on automation tools; they’re short on cohesion. Siloed data. Disconnected tech stacks. Measurement models duct taped together with hope and spreadsheets. That’s where TikTok changes the game.

Pierson Krass, Founder
Lunar Solar Group

More impact, less effort: TikTok’s automation power tools


Here’s a look at the key players in TikTok’s automation suite:


Smart+ 🤖

AI-powered optimization to enhance and scale brands’ expertise and strategic vision, empowering smarter decisions and unlocking greater performance. Smart+ powers all performance objectives with minimal setup, delivering real-time, actionable insights and automated improvements.


GMV Max 🚀

Tiktok's advanced automation layer for TikTok Shop that automates spend, creative, and targeting across paid, organic, and affiliate channels to maximize total gross merchandise value (GMV). GMV Max thrives in full automation mode, optimizing a wide range of affiliate content to scale sales effortlessly.


TikTok Symphony 🎬

A suite of generative AI tools that help you make TikTok content that sings. Designed to help brands ideate, produce, and localize content at scale. From scriptwriting and video generation to digital avatars and automated dubbing, TikTok Symphony streamlines the production process so teams can create faster, adapt smarter, and deliver high-performing TikTok-first content that remains brand-safe and on trend.


TikTok One's Content Suite 🛠️

The TikTok One Content Suite is a powerful set of tools that help find, manage, and activate creator content at scale. Powered by generative AI, it discovers high-performing creator videos, securing usage rights and boosting them as ads while streamlining your creative workflow so your team can move faster, test smarter, and deliver more impactful campaigns.


Automation success stories


Here’s how Lunar Solar Group has leveraged TikTok tools for clients:



Naturium: UGC + founder-led creative at scale


17. Naturium

To build its TikTok presence, Naturium, a clinically effective biocompatible skincare brand, partnered with Lunar Solar Group on a performance-driven strategy. Creator-led UGC ran directly on influencer profiles to feel authentic and trend-driven, while founder-led storytelling added authority and relatability. High-quality CTV and paid social assets complemented the mix with evergreen creative.


To scale, Naturium adopted Smart+ as its primary performance engine, with Video Shopping Ads (VSA) used for targeted campaigns. The approach blended authenticity with efficiency to drive lasting growth.


TikTok tool used: Smart+


Naturium Stat 1
Naturium Stat 2
Naturium Stat 3


What this proves: You don’t need a massive following to drive massive results. With the right strategy and Smart+ automation, brands can turn storytelling into scale.



PHLUR: efficiency through intent-based campaign shifts


18. Phlur

PHLUR, a modern fine fragrance brand, partnered with Lunar Solar Group to shift from broad campaigns to Smart+ and high-intent Search campaigns. In March 2025, Smart+ delivered a 28% higher return on ad spend (ROAS) and a 14% lower cost per acquisition (CPA) compared to standard campaigns. By May, Smart+ and Search fully replaced the previous approach, achieving up to 191% higher ROAS, 36% lower CPA, and a 192% higher click-through rate (CTR) for Search campaigns.²


TikTok tool used: Smart+


PHLURStat1
PHLUR Stat 2
PHLUR Stat 3

What this proves: Shifting from broad to intent-based targeting can supercharge efficiency. When campaigns are built around real signals, performance improves across the board, from ROAS to CPA to CTR.


Leatherman: from test to full-funnel performance engine


Leatherman, an American brand of multi-tool, partnered with Lunar Solar Group and TikTok to test Smart+ Web and Catalog campaigns, quickly turning early performance gains into an always-on strategy. After strong initial results, the brand expanded into TikTok Shop, promoting top products through GMV Max. This full-funnel TikTok approach drove significant improvements in both revenue and efficiency.³


19. Leatherman

TikTok tools used: GMV Max and Smart+


Leatherman Stat 1
Leatherman Stat 2
Leatherman Stat 3

What this proves: Performance gains don’t have to plateau. With the right automation and commerce tools, early wins can quickly scale into a full-funnel engine for sustained growth.



These are TikTok case studies and are solely for informational purposes. Past performance does not guarantee or predict future performance. All claims related to brand products including, without limitation, the effectiveness, sales, or quality of such products are brand-reported and not endorsed or verified by TikTok.



Automation doesn’t replace strategy on TikTok—it amplifies it.


TikTok runs on algorithms but thrives on storytelling, a truth many brands overlook. While other platforms offer templated, transactional automation, our solutions are built to amplify both performance and narrative. TikTok's AI removes friction, not the marketer.


In a sea of over-automated, under-inspired campaigns, storytelling and media performance is your edge. And machine learning is only as strong as the inputs you give it, so treat automation as a force multiplier, not a shortcut.


Success with TikTok means automating with purpose: pairing modular, audience-driven content with strategic media solutions, rapid iteration, and shared KPIs across creative and media.



Quote

Automation is the bedrock of actionable full-funnel performance, but only when it is built upon pairing modular, audience-driven content with strategic media solutions, rapid iteration, and shared KPIs across creative and media.

Tara Pettus, Head of Agency
TikTok

Conclusion


TikTok is where culture happens in real time. It’s also where full-funnel automation is being redefined. From creator sourcing to frictionless checkout, TikTok is an end-to-end growth engine that entertains over 1 billion people globally and allows brands to reach new customers.


But technology alone doesn’t deliver transformation. That’s why Lunar Solar Group has partnered with TikTok to help brands move beyond fragmented efforts and into fully integrated, high-performance ecosystems. When powered by the right tools, proven talent, and agency expertise, automation can drive both performance and brand impact.




Want to level up your marketing with automation? Grab The AI Advantage: Agency Playbook

Lunar Solar Group is a globally recognized growth consultancy, technology studio, and full service digital agency that provides ecommerce and digital marketing services. Their recognition as a TikTok Badged Agency Partner highlights their success while their broader approach aligns with TikTok's Agency Advantage Program (AAP) by prioritizing data-driven insights and tailored strategies for their clients.



About the authors


About the authors - Tara
About the authors - Pierson

Tara Pettus

Tara started her advertising career as a marketing intern for the CEO of Avon, Andrea Jung. Prior to working as TikTok's Head of Agency, she was with Meta for five years as its Director of Disruptors and Venture Capital. She also previously served as Head of Global Media Partnerships, Marketing and Advertising for Apple.


Fun fact: Tara was Lindsay Lohan's fencing double in "The Parent Trap."


Pierson Krass

Pierson is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and digital marketing expert. Over the past 16 years, he's worked directly with more than 200 brands, helping drive hundreds of millions in revenue. He is the founder of Lunar Solar Group, a full-service growth agency, and co-founder of Stay.Ai, a subscription and retention tool built for ecommerce.


Fun fact: Pierson launched his first company at age 15, producing and marketing action sports films.




Sources

  1. Naturium: (2/1/2025 – 2/20/2025) & (5/1/2025 – 5/20/2025)

  2. Phlur: (3/1/2025 – 4/30/2025)

  3. Leatherman: (4/1/2025 – 6/30/2025)


This document is the property of TikTok Inc. and is intended solely for informational purposes. The recipient shall not distribute, exhibit or otherwise use this document for any other purpose. TikTok undertakes no obligation or responsibility to update any of the information contained in this document. Please note that you are solely responsible for adherence to all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and policies, when creating branded content on TikTok including, without limitation, the FTC's endorsement guidelines and all applicable TikTok platform policies including, without limitation, TikTok's branded content policy: https://support.tiktok.com/en/business-and-creator/creator-and-business-accounts/branded-content-policy. Past performance does not guarantee or predict future performance.