TikTok Is Turning Creators into Series Producers

Brands on TikTok are getting a new means of storytelling. TikTok and creative agency Amplify have announced a new initiative, The Next Episode, which is creator-led and episodic content for brands. The program is not about single sponsored posts, but about a series of posts that can be an ongoing story and in different formats. 

What Is The “Next Episode?” 

The Next Episode was created to match brands with Amplify’s creator community to produce original, socially-minded series. TikTok can provide production assistance to eligible brands in addition to the media spend, to help bring campaign ideas to life as episodic entertainment. This program is designed around the concept that creators should have a wider voice than just that of a product promotion. They can advise the series’ concept, tale, and character, and provide a fun approach to reaching audiences. 

How Can the Format Be Used by Brands? 

There are two methods to the initiative. The Creator Content Series gives brands the opportunity to join an already established creator series in the episodic world, whereas the Brand Content Series takes the brand to the centre of a new creator-led series. The formats too may also be very different. TikTok and Amplify emphasize opportunities such as Micro dramas, interviews, game shows, docu-series and reality-type content. This allows brands the opportunity to select a format which is suitable for both the creators and the message. 

What Does it Mean for Creators? 

Creators are not merely used as promotional faces, but are at the very centre of the initiative. They get to work on episodic projects, which enables them to be more involved in storytelling and production and create content for social platforms. TikTok and Amplify also make the initiative sound like a way to provide creators with potential new career opportunities and monetization opportunities as a result of the new focus on original entertainment in brand collaborations. 

What Are Some Brand Names That Have Already Done It? 

The Next Episode is a continuation of the previous work done with TikTok and Amplify. Together, they’ve featured in Kia’s The TikTok Road Trip, Gatorade’s Gatorade Games and Tinder’s Love Songs. The projects showcase examples of how creator-led formats can be used to create campaigns centered around entertainment, not just traditional advertising. With the new initiative, this is made formalized as an opportunity for more brands. 

Final Thoughts 

The Next Episode does not disappoint and illustrates how brand marketing is continuing to become more creator-led storytelling on TikTok. TikTok and Amplify are giving advertisers one more avenue to create more entertaining campaigns, with a combination of creators, formats, and brand partnerships. The initiative could, for creators, however, pave the way towards bigger and more ambitious brand-based creations.