Social media platform TikTok intensifies strategic developments to extend its presence beyond smartphones
TikTok Expands Out of Phone Program with New Partnerships
TikTok is taking a significant step forward in its efforts to connect brands and creators with physical audiences, by expanding its Out of Phone program. The social media giant has partnered with four major companies, broadening its reach into various physical environments.
These partners include Curb, a taxi-based entertainment network that brings TikTok videos to over 15,000 taxis across more than 65 markets. Westfield Malls, on the other hand, will display TikTok content on screens throughout upscale shopping malls, integrating TikTok ads into the in-store shopping experience.
Rockbot, a streaming digital media provider for businesses, will also be partnering with TikTok to provide content on digital screens in consumer-centric locations such as fitness centers, retail stores, airports, and restaurants. Lastly, Hope Hydration will feature TikTok videos on 55-inch digital screens at water refilling stations in high-traffic areas, including Times Square and music festivals.
With these new partnerships, TikTok's reach extends to shopping malls, taxis, retail spaces, fitness centers, airports, and community refreshment points. This expansion aims to enable brands and creators to connect with audiences in real-world moments where consumers are engaged and receptive.
The Out of Phone program was created to give TikTok brands and creators real-world opportunities to connect with physical audiences. By leveraging digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising, TikTok content is extended from mobile devices to locations where consumer "discovery mindset" and purchasing behaviors are heightened, such as malls and taxis, enhancing brand exposure and engagement beyond the TikTok app itself.
Kristen Jackman, senior vice president of Westfield Rise U.S., expressed her excitement about joining TikTok's Out of Phone program, stating, "We are thrilled to join TikTok's Out of Phone program and bring TikTok's engaging and entertaining content to our shopping centers."
TikTok's expansion into physical environments comes at a time when consumers are turning to the platform to discover items across categories, including luxury items. A recent report found that luxury shoppers use TikTok to find product review videos and influencer content.
In the U.S., TikTok's e-commerce solution, TikTok Shop, saw U.S. users averaging $700 on the platform last year. With the expansion of its Out of Phone program, TikTok is poised to further capitalize on its growing influence in the retail space.
Retailers are also reworking their stores to suit shoppers, with complementary shop-in-shops, age-appropriate experiences, and integrated technology being some of the ways they are doing so. TikTok's expansion into physical environments aligns with this trend, providing retailers with a new avenue to connect with consumers and drive purchases.
In conclusion, TikTok's Out of Phone program expansion partners for in-store and out-of-phone technology are primarily Westfield Malls for upscale shopping center screens, Curb for taxi-top video displays, Rockbot for retail and venue audio/visual screens, and Hope Hydration for smart water refill station digital screens. This expansion aims to bring TikTok content to a variety of physical locations beyond mobile phones, enabling brands and creators to connect with audiences in real-world moments where consumers are engaged and receptive.
- The partnership between TikTok and Curb extends TikTok videos to over 15,000 taxis across more than 65 markets, giving brands and creators real-world opportunities to connect with audiences.
- The Out of Phone program's collaboration with Westfield Malls involves displaying TikTok content on screens throughout upscale shopping malls, offering an integrated shopping experience.
- By partnering with Rockbot, TikTok's content will be showcased on digital screens in various consumer-centric locations such as fitness centers, retail stores, airports, and restaurants.
- Hope Hydration's partnership with TikTok enables the feature of TikTok videos on 55-inch digital screens at water refilling stations in high-traffic areas like Times Square and music festivals.
- The expansion of TikTok's Out of Phone program into physical environments aligns with the ongoing trend of retailers reworking their stores to suit shoppers, providing a new avenue for retailers to connect with consumers and drive purchases.
