Top US Social Spenders: TikTok Advertisers - Winmo
US social media ad spending is growing, driven by a surge in TikTok advertisers like PUMA and VANS, who are investing millions annually to target diverse age groups beyond Gen Z, with PUMA focusing on sports marketing and athlete sponsorships and VANS shifting strategy to inclusivity and broader community engagement.
US ad spend on social media is projected to grow 9% this year, and return to double-digit growth in 2024, per eMarketer. In part, that growth is driven by a surge in TikTok advertisers.
If you think the platform is just for teens and Gen Z, think again. Over 3 billion people have downloaded the app, and 37% of those are over the age of 30. The opportunity to target these consumers has catalyzed emerging and established advertisers to pour their marketing budgets into the platform, and if you’re looking to reach TikTok advertisers, Winmo has you covered.
We used Winmo Social to surface brands spending $3M+ on TikTok annually. Read on for prospecting pointers.
Here’s a look at a selection of the top US TikTok advertisers profiled in Winmo:
PUMA
2022 TikTok spend: $12M | Focusing on sports marketing to appeal to male consumers
The athletic brand debuted a Pokémon-themed collection of apparel in late 2022 in partnership with Niantic and Foot Locker and worked with PR shop Allison+Partners on a campaign. Puma’s sports marketing appeals specifically to male consumers such as Gen Alpha, Gen-Z, and millennials (on digital and social channels) and Gen-X through national TV, print, OOH, and local broadcast. As far as TikTok advertisers go, its spend increased sharply in July and August of 2022, and we expect spend could pick up heading into Q2 2023.
Puma will likely:
- Keep increasing spend
- Pursue athlete brand sponsorships
- Seek new agency partners
VANS
2022 TikTok spend: $14.8M | CMO mentions shifts in strategy
The company is working to “connect with a broader community” rather than solely focusing on reaching Gen-Z and millennials. Vans often works with Tony Hawk and hopes to reach Gen-X consumers rather than just his younger skateboarder fans by leaning heavily on inclusivity marketing with the mindset that Vans is for everyone. Its TikTok spend increased sharply in July and August of 2022, and we expect this TikTok advertiser could pick up again heading into its peak buying period of Q2.
Vans will likely:
- Continue targeting younger audiences secondarily
- Continue adjusting its strategy
- Work with additional influencers
- Keep increasing spend
HONDA
2022 TikTok spend: $3.3M | Seeking younger consumers
Honda (and its subsidiary brand, Acura) recently entered a multi-year deal with Topgolf, making the two brands the “Official Automotive Partners” and “Official Vehicles” of Topgolf. The deal includes sweepstakes, on-site vehicle displays, and other marketing activations that Honda believes will allow it to reach Gen-Z and millennials more effectively.
Honda spent more than $3M on TikTok last year, peaking in August and October. Those strong months, combined with the brand’s recent interest in entertainment opportunities, may lead to some big social campaigns ahead.
The company will likely:
- Form additional sponsorships/partnerships
- Continue increasing ad spend
- Focus more funds on attracting younger consumers
Winmo connects the dots between TikTok advertisers, agencies, CMOs and decision-makers who control these budgets (plus when they’re planning).
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