Objective:
During the pandemic, TikTok aimed to expand beyond its Gen Z base by acquiring older user demographics. While widely known for music and dance content, the platform needed to highlight its breadth of communities and cultural influence to increase relevance and adoption.

Insight:
TikTok was already shaping global culture more than non-users realised. Subculture-driven content - from niche hobbies to viral memes - bubbled up on TikTok before exploding across other platforms and into mainstream pop culture. However, attribution was being lost as these stories travelled beyond TikTok.

Approach:
We designed the Culture Engine: a framework and process for daily identification of high-potential stories and content emerging on TikTok. Once identified, trend-led briefs were created for rapid execution across TikTok’s external channels (Instagram, Twitter/X, etc.) to reclaim attribution. Content with strong traction was then amplified into ATL - including radio, TV, and OOH - all driving awareness and cultural relevance back to TikTok.

Idea in Action:

• Daily newsroom-style sessions to surface high-potential TikTok trends

• Reactive briefs for rapid creative production and cross-channel amplification

• Extension into ATL campaigns for breakout cultural moments

Results:

• Propelled Nathan Evans’ Sea Shanty into a global #1 hit

• Delivered cultural activations with artists like Yungblud & Aitch

• Anchored TikTok’s Euro 2020 activity through trend-driven content

• Helped redefine TikTok as a platform of cultural discovery for all generations

My Role:
As Account Director, I spearheaded the Culture Engine framework agency-side, leading daily cultural signal spotting with TikTok teams across 5 markets. I oversaw the translation of these insights into reactive social briefs and managed the end-to-end execution of trend-led content that scaled into mass culture.