TikTok Advertising Trends: What Brands Need to Know in 2025
TikTok’s influence on digital marketing shows no signs of slowing down. As we step into 2025, the platform is evolving, offering new opportunities for brands to connect with audiences in creative, authentic, and measurable ways. Whether it’s a bold hashtag challenge or a seamless e-commerce experience, TikTok remains a space where cultural moments and commerce intersect.
For brands ready to think beyond the traditional, here’s how TikTok is shaping advertising trends in 2025 and why it should be a core part of your marketing strategy.
TikTok as a Hub for Authentic User-Generated Content
The heart of TikTok is its authenticity, and this is what makes it a standout platform for advertising. Unlike the polished perfection of other social media channels, TikTok thrives on realness. User-generated content (UGC) plays a key role here, with younger audiences—especially Gen Z—trusting brands more when they feature real people. In fact, 82% of Gen Z consumers say they’re more likely to trust a brand when it leans into authenticity³.
Brands that duet or repost content created by their consumers are tapping into this trend effectively. It’s not just about showcasing your product; it’s about showing how it fits into the lives of real people. This approach makes brands feel relatable, approachable, and ultimately more trustworthy⁴.
The Rise of TikTok Live
Live content has become one of TikTok’s most dynamic tools. TikTok Live allows brands to engage in real-time, answering questions, hosting events, or even partnering with influencers to create an interactive experience⁵.
In 2025, TikTok Live’s shopping integration is a game-changer. Brands can now showcase products during live streams and let viewers purchase directly from the app, making it a seamless blend of entertainment and e-commerce⁷. Think of it as a digital QVC for the TikTok generation, where immediacy and interaction drive conversion.
Seamless Shopping Experiences Through TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop is turning the platform into a powerful e-commerce engine. By enabling users to shop directly within the app, TikTok bridges the gap between discovery and purchase⁷.
Seasonal campaigns, like Fenty Beauty’s Ramadan-themed makeup tutorials, illustrate how TikTok Shop can help brands connect deeply with audiences through culturally relevant content⁷. This shift highlights TikTok’s ability to marry storytelling with shopping, making the platform a unique space where commerce feels organic rather than forced.
Branded Hashtag Challenges: Creating Cultural Moments
If there’s one advertising tool TikTok is famous for, it’s the branded hashtag challenge. These campaigns invite users to participate by creating content around a theme, generating millions of impressions and propelling brands into the TikTok spotlight¹.
For example, Guess’s #InMyDenim challenge encouraged users to style denim pieces in creative ways, transforming a simple concept into a viral movement². Challenges like these don’t just increase visibility; they create cultural moments where the brand becomes part of the conversation.
Guess, #InMyDenim
Influencers and the Rise of Affiliate Marketing on TikTok
TikTok influencers are more than just content creators—they’re cultural leaders who shape trends and drive purchasing decisions⁹. Collaborating with influencers allows brands to inject authenticity into their campaigns while reaching specific audiences effectively.
Fenty Beauty’s partnership with skincare expert Sean Garrette is a perfect example of how influencer collaborations can work. By teaming up with a trusted voice in the skincare community, Fenty showcased its products while building credibility and trust⁷.
Lifestyle Integration: ‘Get Ready With Me’ Videos
TikTok’s “Get Ready With Me” trend combines the appeal of tutorials with the intimacy of lifestyle videos. These behind-the-scenes videos showcase how consumers or celebrities use specific products, offering practical inspiration while humanizing brands.
Often tied to events like weddings, school, or parties, ‘Get Ready With Me’ videos give viewers ideas on how to style themselves, creating a seamless blend of entertainment and product demonstration. Brands can sponsor creators to feature their products in these videos, ensuring their offerings are front and center in relatable, everyday contexts.
Building Trust Through ‘Pack an Order With Me’ Videos
Another trend that resonates with TikTok audiences is “Pack an Order With Me.” This format, popular among smaller, independent brands, offers a transparent, behind-the-scenes glimpse into how products are prepared for customers.
These videos build trust by highlighting the care and attention to detail that goes into each order. Often visually engaging or incorporating ASMR elements, they captivate viewers while subtly reinforcing the brand’s commitment to quality and customer experience.
The Dopamine Club, Pack an order with me
What’s New for 2025?
1. Long-Form Content
TikTok is moving beyond short, snappy videos. In 2025, longer videos—those over one minute—are being rewarded by the platform’s algorithms, offering brands more time to tell compelling stories⁷.
2. Evolving Demographics
Millennials and Gen X are engaging with TikTok more than ever, opening up new opportunities for brands offering family-oriented, financial, or premium products⁷. These audiences value relatable, value-driven content, making explainer videos and tutorials key formats for reaching them⁷.
3. Localised Trends, Global Reach
TikTok’s unique ability to amplify regional trends into global phenomena remains unmatched. Whether it’s a fashion movement or a viral audio clip, the platform ensures that creativity knows no boundaries⁷.
Why TikTok Matters More Than Ever
In 2025, TikTok is more than just a social media platform—it’s a cultural powerhouse, a shopping destination, and a space where brands can build meaningful relationships with their audience.
From the raw authenticity of UGC to the seamless integration of TikTok Shop, brands that embrace TikTok’s unique ecosystem will find themselves not just participating in trends, but shaping them.
At Bravada, we help brands navigate TikTok’s dynamic landscape with tailored strategies that deliver results. Whether you’re ready to launch your first hashtag challenge or dive into TikTok Shop, we’ve got the expertise to make it happen.
Ready to elevate your TikTok advertising? Contact us at hello@bravada-uk.com