TikTok Expands ‘Out of Phone’ Campaigns with UGC

TikTok’s looking to help brands expand their promotions off the platform, with a new element of its “Out of Phone” offering that’ll enable brands to use TikTok creator content on billboards, within in-store displays, cinema promos, and more.

Today, TikTok’s launching a new “Out of Phone: Branded Mission”, which will combine TikTok’s interactive “Branded Mission” element into its “Out of Phone” offering, expanding the potential of its IRL displays.

Branded Mission, which TikTok launched in 2022, enables brands to post participatory campaigns, which creators can then choose to participate in. Brands can then select their favorite creator videos on the theme and amplify them through boosted ad traffic.

The new Out of Phone: Branded Mission will essentially incorporate user-generated content into its off-platform outreach, so that brands can use UGC in their expanded promotions.

As per TikTok:

“Lionsgate was among the first to leverage this solution with the release of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”. Activated in the heart of New York City, the campaign took over the most iconic screens in Times Square, tapping into the Hunger Games fandom on TikTok. Lionsgate activated an Out of Phone: Mission campaign where everyday creators were given their spotlight moment on the billboards.”

The offering will expand the creative potential of campaigns, while also giving creators the opportunity to get more exposure via new display types and screens. Which could be a big lure, especially when you’re talking about exposure in Times Square and the like.

TikTok has likely had to modify the usage permissions for this new type of campaign, but it could be a valuable and powerful way to boost engagement, both on and off platform.

It’s a higher-end ad option, and will likely come with a price tag to match. But it could be another way to boost interaction and engagement, and spark more creators to help promote your initiatives.