TIKTOK SOCIAL CAMPAIGN
THE GOAL
Grow the Paul Mitchell TikTok account via organic engagement, while actively managing all other social platforms as well as our influencer marketing efforts. At the time, I was the only member of the social team, running the account by myself. I was working against no budget, no team, no strategy, and no unique content, but was armed with the trust of the leaders in my department.
THE STRATEGIES
1. What I call the "Organically Intentional Strategy". I creatively channeled extra energy into growing our TikTok. The plan here was to work smarter, not harder. I implemented a comment strategy as well as an edit/trend strategy to leverage existing content and tap into the Gen Z consumer.
2. Create genuine relationships - through the implementation of #1, I was able to connect with creators who fall into the following demo buckets:
THE MEGA TIKTOKERS ex: Nessa Barrett, Charly Jordan, SJ Bleau, Alex Warren.
THE HEARTFELT CONTENT CREATOR (scroll down for example)
THE PAUL MITCHELL EXISTING CUSTOMER
I specifically implemented this strategy to get in front of TikTok verified stars early because a business objective at the time was to expand our influencer strategy significantly in the following quarter. We've received engagement & follows by mega creators like Nessa Barrett, Charly Jordan, SJ Bleau, Aidette Canncino, Emma Brooks and Alex Warren. Example: I connected with Alex via DM and sent him products because we saw that he was using our shampoo in one of his TikToks.
EDIT/TREND STRATEGY
Lacking a dedicated team or strategy for TikTok, I turned to repurposing existing content as our primary approach. Rather than simply reposting from Instagram, I leveraged my editing skills and trend-savvy eye to craft fresh content that seamlessly integrated with the platform's style and tone.
TREND EDIT - STYLIST REACTION (WENT VIRAL WITH OVER 1M VIEWS)
THE HEARTFELT CONTENT CREATOR
While testing a younger brand voice, we were deliberate in remaining true to our roots by amplifying Paul Mitchell’s charitable reputation and people-first philosophy. TikTok served as a platform to forge genuine connections with content creators and existing brand enthusiasts.
CLICK HERE for an example of a heartwarming connection. With permission from their parents, an elementary school special ed teacher takes care of her students by providing hair care to those who do not have it at home. I connected with her and sent her a package full of PM to work with. Her highest-viewed video was at 6.9M views at the time. This example underscores our dedication to fostering meaningful connections and giving back through all of our marketing efforts.
THE RESULTS
The official Paul Mitchell account began appearing in comment sections across TikTok's For You Page (FYP). Regardless of whether the video content was related to hair, viewers could count on Paul Mitchell to engage in the conversation. TikTok users embraced this youthful voice representing their perception of the brand as 'mom's shampoo.'
This engagement strategy fueled our growth during a period when we lacked resources for new content. Despite not posting daily, our follower count saw consistent daily increases.
Ultimately, we gained 4,000 followers in just 60 days through community engagement via comments and repurposed content alone. This approach continued to guide us as we expanded and eventually started creating tailored content for the platform."