And so to TikTok – well, every other bugger is there, so why not? – for the social media phenomenon’s latest ad campaign, designed to cement its position as the newest form of entertainment in British culture.
And who better than to get this message across? Why Ant and Dec, of course, the duo who have virtually defined entertainment on British TV for decades (just don’t mention the drink driving conviction; although seeing Ant stumbling around pissed as a fart was itself quite entertaining too.) They have amassed 3 million followers and over 21 million likes since launching their account 18 months ago.
Anyway, launching this week across TV and digital media, the “Entertainment. Now on TikTok” ad sees the modern day Eric and Ernie take us on a journey of entertainment through the ages.
The tongue-in-cheek piece starts with the pair transformed into prehistoric cavemen, followed by musical performers from Ancient Rome and Shakespearean actors, with Ant sporting an impressive Elizabethan hairstyle. Bringing us into the 21st century, they emerge as a 1920s slapstick duo – complete with Buster Keaton style building collapse – before reappearing in the present day behind the scenes of a TV set.
The ad then showcases the breadth of entertainment on TikTok through its creator community, featuring everyone from TikTok-born singer-songwriter Cat Burns and magician Magic Singh to football freestyler Liv Cooke and cooking content courtesy of Nathan at The Grub Works Kitchen.
The 60-second ad will run on UK TV screens through September, backed by shorter 20-second versions and social media assets, as well as in-app activity on TikTok.
The campaign, created by Mother London, marks the next phase of TikTok’s relationship with Ant and Dec, following a recent partnership on ITV show Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
TikTok head of marketing, EMEA, James Rothwell is buzzing. He said: “Ant and Dec are the indisputable kings of British entertainment, and we are proud to be working with them on this campaign.
“Their involvement in helping us to show the evolution of entertainment and storytelling in our latest campaign is testament to the growth of our brand, and our disruption in the entertainment space.
“The sense of joy running through the ad is what TikTok is all about, with an added dose of humour that is unique to their personalities. On TikTok, our community delivers endless entertainment, day in, day out in so many different forms and I can’t wait to see how TikTok will evolve as a place where culture is brought to life through video.”
And Ant and Dec are so close, it seems, they even speak as one. They said: “When TikTok came to us with the idea for this campaign we instantly loved it. The idea of showcasing entertainment throughout the ages was one we couldn’t resist.
“Creating entertaining content has been at the heart of everything we have done and continue to do, from our television shows through to creating content for TikTok and we love any excuse to break open the dressing up box so it was perfect for us! We hope everyone loves it as much as we do.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, at the risk of being disparaging – very out of character, we know – we wanted to hate this ad. After all, Ant and Dec get everywhere, including in those annoying Santander ads, so surely it is time for someone else to get a chance isn’t it?
But, try as we might, we can’t. In fact, after watching this we were even tempted to open our own TikTok account; tempted but not wholly convinced as we already have enough distractions in life.
Still, don’t let us stop you joining the 13 million Brits who have already signed up…
Decision Marketing Adometer: An “annoyingly entertaining” 9 out of 10
