The Marc Jacobs TikTok account is proof that it is never too late to start on a platform
Their new TikTok account got 45.32 million views last month with only 168k followers. But how?
The Marc Jacobs TikTok account is proof that it is never too late to start any platform.
While they might have archived older videos, the first post on their account is from October of 2023. Much later than the 2021 rush of brands trying to be the next DuoLingo or Scrub Daddy on the platform. Despite being a late bloomer, they are currently one of the hot spots on the algorithm. Their TikTok account received 45.32 million views in the month of May. That is an average of 1.8 million views a day.
Some of their most viral videos range from 8.2 million views to 5.9 million views. A few creators they have worked with the last few months are:
Tarayummy
Gina Lynn (The “no chick-fil-a sauce” girl)
Raymonte
Noah Millz
Alex Consani
Harry Daniels (The creator who sings at celebrities and a friend of mine. Love you, Harry!)
But how did they do it? From no account just a few months ago to becoming the most talked about brand on TikTok since DuoLingo in the early days. What is their secret sauce?
Trends Over Celebrities
The most viral posts from Marc Jacobs’ TikTok are from TikTokers that have been a part of viral moments recently. One of the most viral videos is sitting at 7.7 million views and features two kids that were a part of the viral “Rizz Party” on TikTok. If you haven’t got a clue what I am referring to, you’re not alone. But here is an article from Distractify about this online moment that has older Gen Alpha and younger Gen-Z buzzing.
Above is a screenshot from the Marc Jacobs TikTok which features two kids from the “Rizz Party”
Meanwhile, some of the videos on Marc Jacobs’ account featuring A-List celebrities are not even garnering 10% of the views from TikToks with internet personalities. For example, a video of Dua Lipa at the Met Gala is currently sitting at 320k views and a video featuring Sabrina Carpenter is at 283k.
Yet one TikTok, featuring personality Raymonte, is currently sitting at 5.9 million views and was posted after the A-list celebrity videos. In the video, Raymonte leans into his viral format of approaching a “stranger” in a store to give them a compliment. This time, it’s an older woman shopping for a Marc Jacobs bag in a flagship store. While this video was clearly staged, it didn’t stray off from Raymonte’s usual format. You don’t even see Raymonte’s face. You only hear his voice. Just like his viral format.
There is a clear contrast between the virality of using internet personalities vs the older, traditional “commercials” that used to work with A-List celebrities back in the day. And I’m not saying they are no longer powerful, convincing or capable of going viral. But the Marc Jacobs TikTok is a real-time study on what’s working and what’s not. With the only changing variable being the videos itself.
The “Kickback” vs “Megaphone” Analogy
Imagine you just walked into a small party (aka a “kickback”) and you didn’t know anyone but you DID know that this was a cool group of people that you want to win over. Would you walk through the front doors with a megaphone and start yelling over all the strangers about how funny you are, why they should befriend you and why you are great?
If you did that in any normal social context, you would be laughed out of the room. Why? It’s rude. To assume that you are the most important person with the most important thing to say. And the louder you turn the volume up on the megaphone, the more likely you are to be ignored forever.
Social media acts the same exact way.
What you would do in a “kickback” setting with strangers who you want to befriend is you would listen quietly to the conversations taking place. Lending them a genuine ear and only interjecting in to the conversation if you have something interesting to add that hasn’t been said before. The algorithms on social media act the same exact way. So many people and brands make the mistake of thinking they can barge down the doors and start yelling about why they are great. Then they become frustrated when no one is interested.
Being a good creator involves 90% listening, 10% creating.
When I work with a new client, I tell them that they are paying me for the hours of time I will spend each day listening to different platforms and the conversations taking place. This isn’t time that every CMO or top celebrity has on their hands. It is my job to listen to the “cool kids” at the hypothetical “kickback” for hours each day. Then report back my findings and only encourage a brand or client to lean into the trend or conversation if they actually have something interesting to add.
This is exactly what Marc Jacobs is doing.
I am sure there are people on their team who are spending hours a day on TikTok, looking for the next viral trend. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are emailing the “Four Seasons” baby, as we speak, to get their next viral video. The reason their videos are so viral is because they have their ear to the streets.
Creators Over Commercials
Something else that comes through in the Marc Jacobs videos is that they clearly let the TikTokers have creative reign over the video. One of the main reasons that creator brand deals fail is because the creator has to go so far off script to match the brand’s script. While I understand that there are certain points that must be made, I personally think that at a certain point a brand should simply film a commercial, if they have to get a very specific message across.
Why work with a creator, in the first place? It is because a creator has spent years building out a very specific way of communicating with their specific audience. That is something that can not be built or strategized overnight. It is a skill that takes brands many years to build, as well.
Think about the old Wendy’s Twitter account from the 2010’s that went viral often for roasting their rivals. In fact, Wendy’s now has a website landing page called “Best of Wendy’s Twitter Roasts 2018”. If Wendy’s came out of left field one day, roasting other brands — they might end up in a lawsuit. But instead, it was a gradual incline. Pushing the boundaries of their humor for years until they could get away with it.
Creators have this same status quo with their audience. And they know the best way to communicate with their audience.
Marc Jacobs is not trying to steer the ship or force a direction with their TikToker collabs. Instead, they are simply providing a shiny, new car and letting the creator take it out for a joy ride. Picking up their audience along the way.
If you want more of my thoughts, you can watch my TikTok video breaking down their strategy here
Email: cocomocoe@gmail.com