Going Viral: How Crocs and Afterpay Leveraged TikTok to Amplify Brand Awareness
Think TikTok is just a platform for viral dances? The social video app, which has dominated technology and media headlines throughout the year, is far more than just a place for funny or catchy videos.
TikTok has an astounding 800M active monthly users worldwide, making it the ninth most-used social network globally--ahead of heavyweights like Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Snapchat. The app’s core audience (at 41% of total users) includes coveted Gen Z consumers--individuals aged 16-24. And, they spend a lot of time on the app. A typical TikTok user spends an average 52 minutes per day on the platform either creating or consuming content.
These statistics illustrate why more and more marketers are investing in TikTok-centric campaigns, whether paid advertising or collaborations with influencers. Afterpay was thrilled to join this movement via a partnership with Crocs™, a global leader in innovative casual footwear, which resulted in a wildly successful (and highly entertaining) campaign. Read on to learn how we worked with Crocs to reach and engage TikTok’s valuable consumer base.
The #StrapBack Challenge
Croctober, a month-long celebration of the brand’s passionate fans and the importance of being yourself culminates each year on “Croctober” 23, (a.k.a. “CrocDay” to #CrocNation) with limited-edition product drops. This year, Afterpay and Crocs also launched the #StrapBack TikTok challenge to count down to Croc Day 2020 and celebrate Crocs’ new partnership with Afterpay.
Together, we encouraged TikTok creators to show us what was possible with the backstrap of their Crocs engaged, settling the age-old “Sport Mode” debate. We also created a custom rap in partnership with a viral TikTok audio creator in order for fans to dance along with the catchy beat.
This creative execution allowed Afterpay and Crocs to meet our target customers--Gen Zers--where they were: stuck at home amidst a global pandemic. The playful challenge allowed the two brands to tap into a positive, refreshing community on TikTok to inspire creativity.
Overall, 1.3M videos were created using the hashtag #StrapBack, and 8.3k videos were created using #AfterpayXCrocs--a resounding success for Afterpay’s first TikTok campaign. #StrapBack videos received 6.8 billion views during the campaign period, and resulted in an 18.5% engagement rate. Afterpay and Crocs also released a custom song, which garnered 60.1M views.
Results like these demonstrate the power of innovative platforms like TikTok, and the communities they foster. By empowering and enabling creators to develop their own content--and have some fun while doing it--Afterpay and Crocs not only drove awareness and sales, but formed authentic connections with a powerful generation of consumers.
Together with the Crocs team, we achieved greater results than we could have alone--and we hope more brands follow suit. Most importantly, retailers should invite their consumers into the creative process to give them a sense of ownership and connection with the brands they love.
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