August was packed full of cool and creative marketing rebrands, campaigns and insights, from LG Electronics optimistic brand refresh, to talks around TikTok becoming a popular search engine and how that impacts search strategies.
Join us as we discuss the Good Stuff that caught our attention in August.
Is TikTok the new search engine and how does it impact search strategies?
TikTok is known for its viral dance videos, music and all things entertainment, but for Gen Z in particular, the video app is increasingly becoming their preferred search engine too. It was recently reported that 40% of 18-24 year olds prefer to make web searches via TikTok instead of Google. From things to do, new places to try, and even the latest stories in the news – there doesn’t seem to be anything people aren’t searching for on TikTok.
TikTok has a niche community for almost every search-related query. However, while there is a wealth of knowledge available on the app, there is also the potential for misinformation to spread. This has been known to happen in the past, and it is important to be aware of the risks before using the app to search information.
That being said, TikTok has brought in a new way of digesting search results, and a new expectation for that matter. People are using TikTok for search at a growing rate due to the immersive and visually rich nature of each result, it’s quick, concise and engaging. But, Google still remains the No.1 search engine, especially for researching hard information or recommendations relating to a certain topic, which TikTok hasn’t managed to match as of yet. However, Google must feel some kind of threat from TikTok as they recently announced new features that would make searching quicker and more visual for users.
This means that businesses and brands, for now, don’t need to worry about uprooting their search strategies. But it will be interesting to see how TikTok develops their search capabilities in the future and whether Google will have to fight for control.
LG Electronics optimistic brand refresh
Following their teaser launch earlier this year, global brand LG Electronics, revealed their full brand identity designed by Wolff Olins which gives a nod to their Korean heritage. Tasked with reinventing the digital, physical and social experience to better align with LG’s character, Wolff Olins were passionate about putting the people first, not the tech.
By redefining the brand’s values and philosophy, which now focus on “uncompromising customer experience, human-centred innovation and warmth to power a smile”, it was essential for the new branding to be playful, and full of personality and life. From a newly animated logo, which can now take on eight motion behaviours from jamming to winking, to the introduction of two new characters, Joy and Ryder, whose expressive and fun appearances add to the overall brand experience.
The refresh reinforces their ‘Life’s Good’ tagline, with cool illustrations, bright colours and fun animations, positioning the brand at the forefront of a positive movement within the tech industry that successfully captures consumers’ interests.
Gap’s fresh spin on nostalgia
With autumn fast approaching and consumers readying their wardrobes ahead of the colder weather, clothing brand Gap were keen to spark fashion inspiration with their latest collection. Including a mix of both their new and most-loved styles, labelled their “icon” products, the new collection was inspired from the brand’s style archives and modernised to match current fashion trends.
To showcase the collection Gap took a deep dive into their most memorable moments of its past, playing on both nostalgia and modern creativity. The latest campaign will span out of home, (OOH) including digital OOH and billboards, digital media and their brand channels. The new line is centred around partnerships with eight individuals, dubbed “artistic originals,” across the art, music, fashion, activism and film sectors in an effort to tap into key consumer touch points while also promoting originality and individuality.
Erika Everett, Head of Marketing for Gap said; “Gap has always been a brand that played a role in culture through the lens of entertainment, that can be through music, through fashion — our customers are looking for inspiration, which this campaign aims to provide lots of.”
We share our Good Stuff round up every month, so make sure you come back next month to see what caught our attention within the creative marketing industry.
