Zeno Thinks: Cracking TikTok's Code – Lessons from Marc Jacobs

Brands have long struggled with TikTok’s unpolished and spontaneous nature. Curated, heavily branded content doesn’t tend to translate well, especially to the Gen Zs among us. Over the past four years, luxury clothing brands have experienced a series of successes and failures, constantly seeking out the secret formula to go viral and capture the attention of millions. 

Marc Jacobs has seemingly cracked this code on TikTok, turning a modest following into an absolute powerhouse of engagement. Despite having only 180K followers at the time of writing, they’re averaging a staggering 1.8 million views per video. So, what’s their secret? 

The Sync Strategy

As a start, Marc Jacobs seems to have mastered the art of listening - or what I like to call the Sync Strategy.

Imagine two DJs performing a back-to-back set. If one of them plugged in and started blasting their music out of sync with the other, they’d be booed (and probably laughed) off the stage. Instead, they listen closely to each other, matching beats and vibes while gauging the crowd's reactions to certain songs. This interplay ensures the music syncs seamlessly with one another while keeping the audience engaged. 

Marc Jacobs uses a similar approach on TikTok. They tune into trending topics and carefully blend their content to enhance what’s currently trending on the platform. They’re not just joining the conversation; they’re elevating it. The brand clearly understands the dynamics of the trending topics and knows how to add its unique voice to the mix without blasting its music over everyone else. 

Leveraging Niche Creators Over Celebrities

Marc Jacobs has found greater success on TikTok by collaborating with trending, niche creators rather than celebrities. This year, their feed features a rotating cast of unconventional internet stars, popular among "chronically online" Gen Z users. Handpicked for their unique styles, these influencers have generated over 55 million views in less than three months, showcasing the power of authentic, trend-driven content.

For instance, their video with singer and A-lister Sabrina Carpenter got only 290k views. Impressive, but not compared to their video with the viral kids from the Riz party, which skyrocketed to 7.7 million views. That’s 27 times more engagement for (most likely) a fraction of the cost. Collaborations with trending creators like Gina Lynn, pulled in 6.7 million views. Even a collaboration with the Teletubbies account has made waves across the platform showing them kitted out with Marc Jacobs Tote Bags.

 As one commenter said, “Give a raise to the marketing team 💕💕💕 iconic”. 

@marcjacobs Who wore it best? @Teletubbies HQ ♬ original sound - marcjacobs

The team diligently identifies trending topics and understands their backstories and ‘lore’, elevating key voices linked to these trends. This keeps their content relevant and in tune with TikTok's evolving algorithm; following strategies used by favorites Duolingo and Ryanair without relying on extensive in-house content creation.

Authenticity Over Scripts

Another key lesson from Marc Jacobs is the importance of authenticity. Instead of scripting every detail of the content, they are allowing creators the freedom to be themselves. 

This authenticity resonates with audiences far more than polished, overly-produced content. It’s a reminder that if you want to hire a creator and hand them a rigid script to follow, you may be sacrificing engagement from their audience. 

Luxury Trailblazers

Marc Jacobs isn’t the only luxury brand mastering TikTok. Burberry was one of the pioneers, collaborating with @sylvaniandrama in 2022 to promote its Lola Bag, resulting in a viral video that others took note of - including Marc Jacobs who, earlier this year, had their own viral moment with the Sylvanian Drama account. 

Gucci also used notable TikTok star and wholesome trainspotter Francis Bourgeois in their Gucci x North Face campaign in 2022. His hobby and massive following of 2 million (at the time), made him the perfect fit for the campaign, which was shot inside a vintage train - obviously! 

However, not all luxury brands have perfected their TikTok strategies. Alexander Wang’s recent campaign featuring celebrity lookalikes (who also happen to be influencers) resulted in a polarising campaign with little to no engagement on the app.

What’s The ROI? 

Marc Jacobs’ approach demonstrates a significant return on investment when they focus on niche creators with a highly engaged audience. Tapping into viral trends and letting creators be themselves can lead to massive engagement on TikTok. It’s clear we need to think creatively about how we can tap into trends and join the conversation. This can be done in the following ways: 

• Use tools like TikTok's Creator Centre, Google Trends, and social listening tools to find out what's trending.
• Look for creators who align with these trends and authentically connect with their audience.
• Allow influencers to use their unique voice and style to create content that resonates with their followers.

Marc Jacobs didn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to creator partnerships, they replaced a wheel that was becoming tired with a brand new one.