TikTok is a powerful platform and user-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for e-commerce sites.
Just last week, we were reminded of this truth.
A young Filipina teen living in Singapore, Zoe Gabriel, at just 17 years old, posted a simple video, thanking her dad for what she called her “first luxury bag” and she managed to rake up over 20 million viewers.
Zoe had uploaded UGC before, which is original, brand-specific content created by customers and published on social media or other channels. From images to videos, testimonials or even a mention in a podcast- these clips are valuable for brands. From Zoe’s unboxing clips to tutorials she has given her reviews and honest insights of brands she uses yet this accidental controversy gave her a platform and fast.
How did she get this sort of audience and what did this tell the world?
The simple answer is, sadly, that we live in a world where people ridicule and hate. She was laughed at for calling a high-street shop purchase, a black tote back from Charles and Keith priced at S$79.90 on the brand’s website, a “luxury”. But to her, with her humble background, a gifted handbag such as this was indeed a luxury. She went from zero to hero in a matter of days, her life completely transformed. In this era today of instant content at our fingertips, attention comes at a price.
TikTok’s sticky and algorithmic abilities promise a scale of vitality with nothing else quite like it and whilst it spreads creators’ videos to crowds of anonymous strangers, a receptive audience of these strangers is no guarantee and criticism cannot be avoided, despite TikTok’s attempt to monitor cyberbullying, not all comments and hate can be detected before it is seen.
Even when it goes wrong, this example shows us how gaffe can become PR gold and catapult a brand into instant viral success.
After Zoe received the comments mocking her for her views on luxury, pointing out that the brand was a more affordable high-street brand in their views, Zoe came back with a response video.
The main message in Zoe’s next TikTok was that her dad had saved up money for this and treated her to the bag. To her, it was a very special gift and experience. She opened up about her upbringing and how she and her family had not grown up with much money. This touched viewers and Charles & Keith owners who had also come from more humble upbringings.
The tangible and raw emotion in her video and where she placed her value, as well as her respect and admiration for her father, warmed many hearts and for Charles & Keith this was PR that no bought advertisement or high-cost campaign could achieve. It was a powerful message about the brand and elevated it to a relatable and desirable name.
The post earned her a public outpouring of sympathy afterwards plus write-ups in the mainstream news channels and newspapers worldwide, earning massive publicity for Charles & Keith who in turn invited her and her family to its warehouse and now she is the one laughing, as she has seen mass exposure in the public eye to continue her love of generating content and will be receiving handbags galore!
It is truly a heartstring-pull news story and a clear demonstration of how important UGC is today.
Capturing the attention of Gen Z is no easy feat as there is just so much content out there.
TikTok for business is an entirely new beast. It helps to build an online community and create a conversation between a brand and its consumers. Data and insights prove it. Your content could receive a 28% higher engagement when UGC is integrated alongside your typical posts.
Making UGC the focal point of shoppable content can help your brand create more meaningful connections with customers as there is increased interaction, inclusivity and personalization. It effectively takes a consumer and future user from the point of inspiration to imagine themselves with their purchase.
KittyKat is launching a new creator platform whereby clients can access creators to produce content as users would on their products as well as product photography. If brands can project authenticity and demonstrate use in a real-life or day-to-day setting with user-generated-content, they will gain the trust and win over the hearts of consumers.
