TikTok is now more than just a space to post dance trends and lip-sync videos; it has juice. TikTok is a force of cultural authority and marketing creativity. For brands wanting to develop authenticity and connect with young audiences, TikTok offers a place where influencer collaborations, when done right, can create viral moments, which can translate to increased sales and long-term brand loyalty. So what makes for a campaign that's special are the innovative ways in which influencers and companies collaborate to tell stories.
One of the first great creative TikTok influencer examples is Chipotle's #GuacDance challenge. On National Avocado Day 2019, the brand launched the campaign, encouraging users to post their dance videos to celebrate their love of guacamole. They launched their campaign with strategic partnerships with some of TikTok's biggest influencers, including Loren Gray and Brent Rivera, and the campaign has received over 800,000 total video submissions and over 250,000 digital orders in one day (Chipotle's highest to date!). What made Chipotle's campaign a definitive TikTok influencer marketing example is that it was an ideal 1) time, 2) fun execution, and 3) fit with the core culture of the app which celebrates spontaneous, quirky fun.
E.l.f. Cosmetics raised the bar for beauty brands on TikTok with the launch of the #EyesLipsFace challenge. Instead of using trending audio, E.l.f. made their own original song that felt native to TikTok and took off, spreading virally on the platform. TikTok creators, beauty influencers and even celebrities began to use the sound in their videos and it topped more than 7 billion views. This campaign not only followed TikTok trends, it created one, and is now a textbook example of creative influencer examples on TikTok. It also showcased the impact of sound design in social campaigns, and showed that original audio can become part of a brand's identity. E.l.f.'s campaign remains one of the most original examples of TikTok influencer in real life, while challenging the status quo and helping to set the standard for originality and creative risk in influencer marketing.
You would be hard pressed to name a more iconic partnership in the influencer space than Dunkin's collaboration with Charli D'Amelio. As a loyal Dunkin' customer, Charli regularly posted about her order, which the brand turned into its own signature drink named "The Charli." It was supported by TikTok videos, behind-the-scenes content, and even merch. This collaboration is one of the most commercially successful TikTok influencer marketing examples. Dunkin’ reported a 57% increase in app downloads and a 45% spike in cold brew sales following the campaign. It's a powerful, real-life TikTok influencer example of how authenticity can drive action. The brand didn’t just pick a random influencer they worked with someone who genuinely loved their product. That level of connection makes it one of the most creative TikTok influencer examples to date.
When Netflix debuted the show “The Queen’s Gambit”, they chose TikTok to capture an audience outside their normal viewing audience. Instead of putting out just trailers, Netflix worked with influencers that created chess tutorials, vintage fashion, and mood-board style videos associated with the aesthetic quirks of the series to target each version of the series that people found interesting. These different interpretations created the trending effect of this show in various and unexpected ways. The use of TikTok in this creative way, is truly a layered approach to approach it. Netflix knew that the show attracted chess lovers, but it also attracted audience that were interested in retro fashion, female empowerment, and moody cinematography. The result was an extremely multi-layered example of influencer marketing on TikTok with Netflix getting an unprecedented rise in interest and viewings long after their premier. This is also a compelling real-world example of how brands can create culture and not just promote content.
Gymshark, a seized fitness apparel industry had TikTok post their #Gymshark66 across the platform, which aimed to initiate new habits over 66 days long, according to scientific reasoned time required to build a lasting habit. In the #Gymshark66 challenge, they used TikTok's fitness influencers who could appeal to their viewership and share their workouts, insights, and transformation experiences and bring their audience along and join them. This campaign quickly became a hallmark of creative TikTok influencer examples, not only for its motivational messaging but also for its sense of community. It wasn’t just about selling athletic wear, it was about promoting personal growth and collective achievement. As one of the most empowering TikTok influencer real-life examples, it demonstrated the potential of long-form storytelling even within a short-form medium, making it a golden standard in TikTok influencer marketing examples.
When Crocs partnered with Post Malone, they fully embraced the weird and wacky world of TikTok and its creators. Influencers received special PR boxes with limited edition Crocs, encouraging them to release unboxing videos and styling content. While the campaign didn't go viral because the product was necessarily stylish, it went viral because it seemed like a fun, authentic, and 100% TikTok product. This campaign is often cited as one of the most outrageous successful creative TikTok influencer examples, taking advantage of the meme-able tone of TikTok, and taking an item that many people deemed unfashionable into a coveted and memorable item. It has become one of the most recognizable examples of TikTok influencer marketing, showing that creativity can change preconceived notions of products when influencers can showcase products in unexpected ways.
The European low-cost airline Ryanair disrupted typical TikTok use, by making their planes funny characters. With voiceovers and visual effects, the brand established a persona that poked fun at travel's inconveniences, quirks of travelling with a low-cost airline, and cultures by memes. They also continuously collaborated with influencers through stitches and duets, using sarcasm and an element of awareness in every part of their marketing. What makes this one of the boldest creative TikTok influencer examples is that the brand didn’t rely solely on external creators—they became an influencer themselves. Still, their success wouldn’t have been possible without partnering with TikTok creators to sustain and grow their humorous narrative. As a TikTok influencer, Ryanair showed how brands can break traditional molds and use influencer culture to shape their digital personality.
Fenty Beauty was able to distinct itself within social media by debuting the "Fenty Beauty House," a creator collective designed specifically for beauty creators or influencers. These creators were able to live and collaborate in the same space to create content with Fenty products while also providing behind the scenes looks, tutorials, and collaborating on beauty looks that seemed organic and authentic. This campaign is the best example of TikTok influencer marketing, showing how the immersive collaboration can result in genuine authenticity. This campaign was however not just another influencer PR package, it was about building a community of video creators who genuinely embodied the brand's inclusive value.The campaign is also one of the most thoughtful creative TikTok influencer examples, realizing influencer marketing has a much longer and deeper view of alignment, rather than just reach.
Scrub Daddy is now a TikTok sensation, using comedian influencers who used the smiley faced sponge and hilariously displayed ridiculous, absurd, or exaggerated cleaning scenarios. The brand leveraged humor and unexpected content to reach awareness across demographics of those who typically wouldn't think twice about cleaning supplies. This is one of those rare TikTok influencer real-life examples where a utilitarian product became a viral phenomenon purely through creativity. These creative TikTok influencer examples prove that even the most unglamorous items can shine on TikTok if approached with the right tone and partners. It’s often referenced as a textbook case of TikTok’s power to make the mundane magical.
Heinz used Halloween to leverage their iconic ketchup into a seasonal staple by partnering with TikTok creators to create horror-themed content. Influencers highlighted ketchup as fake blood during costume tutorials and haunted makeup looks. The campaign, indeed scary and somewhat funny, fit very nicely within the seasonal trend. When thinking about the components of a successful TikTok influencer marketing campaign, this campaign is an example that ranks towards the top for effectively re-contextualizing an everyday product in the most engaging TikTok influencer examples. This is one of the most playful, creative TikTok influencer examples advancing holiday cheer through influencer creativity to maximize engagement. By tapping into a cultural moment, Heinz made their product temporarily essential in a completely new context - a powerful lesson of applying temporal marketing through influencers.
The future of influencer marketing is here, and it is on TikTok. These TikTok influencer marketing examples tell us that successful campaigns emerge from collaboration, not control. Campaigns that allow influencers to express their creativity through the narratives they seek to share tend to spend their budget more effectively. Whether it's comedy, music, transformation, or storytelling, there is an opportunity for every niche on TikTok as long as the communication feels authentic. When we analyze these TikTok influencer real-life examples, it is evident that relevance, originality, and entertainment.
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