Using social channels to reach our Gen Z target, we set out to make real, longterm connections with a generation that is notoriously skeptical of brands on social.
Until recently, much of that interaction had taken place on Instagram and X/Twitter. As TikTok has come to establish itself as THE social site for this demographic, our objective was to build yet another thriving community, this time on a platform that has an even higher requirement for real, authentic content.
To measure success, we established our main objectives as commuity growth, video views and, of course, engagement.
Across all channels, our strategy has always been to take the time and effort to truly connect with our audience. Whether it's through the use of memes that speak to niche audiences like gamers or anime fans, having 1-on-1 conversations in the DMs, or by activating content creators who love SUNNYD, we take the time to get to know our fans and showcase what makes them boldy original. We simply applied this same mindset to TikTok with the aim of filling our feed with some of the most engaging and authentic branded content out there.
We've also worked to establish a rock-solid understanding of what's right (and wrong) for our brand, allowing us to gain trust with the brand team and bypass some more traditional approval processes. This enables us to jump on trending audio and formats quickly and has allowed us to create a number of viral videos.
Over the course of 2023, we had just over 97 million total video views, a 104% increase from 2022. We gained over 54,000 followers, ending the year with 136,202 followers. We've spoken to brand truths (like having a stash of SUNNYD in your room) that drove a whopping 552,505 engagements on a single video, been featured in countless "trick shot" videos, and used clever calls-to-action to encourage UGC creation and engagement.
