Dive Brief:
- Chobani is hosting its first hashtag challenge on TikTok, launching a campaign today to celebrate Opposite Day (Jan. 25) and a limited-edition flavor, according to an announcement emailed to Marketing Dive.
- Users of the social video app can participate in the #SwitchTheChobaniFlip challenge by creating a video for a chance to win the special product that won't be sold online or in stores. Twenty-five winners will receive a case of Chobani Flip that features cookie dough crunch in the larger compartment and Greek yogurt in the smaller section — opposite of the brand's regular Flip snack.
- The challenge is set to Missy Elliot's 2002 song "Work It," which includes the lyric: "I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it." Influencer partnerships and outreach on email and social media round out the campaign.
Dive Insight:
Chobani's video challenge is a lighthearted way to promote its regular Flip product and experiment with TikTok, which has 100 million users in the U.S. Hashtag challenges are a popular way to reach a wide network of teens and young adults, helping Chobani engage users with a participatory activation on the social video app. While #SwitchTheChobaniFlip isn't the first time the brand, best known for its Greek yogurt, has posted a TikTok video, it may help Chobani delve deeper into the buzzy platform and lay the groundwork for future social media efforts.
"What I love about TikTok is that it's not just bringing scale and reach, which is important to the marketing side of my brain, it's giving us a chance to reconnect and build relationships with consumers in a whole new way," said Eddie Revis, Chobani's vice president of brand marketing, strategy and media. "The beauty of the platform is that these communities are emerging, and they're filled with hope and optimism and joy. That is what our brand loves to be part of, facilitate and create in the world."
Chobani earlier this month made its debut on TikTok with a call for intern applications, following a goofy sponsored video by @CookingWithLynja in November. The brand's clips may appeal to younger consumers seeking lighthearted or entertaining content on the app, while influencer deals can extend Chobani's reach as users create and share videos for the Opposite Day hashtag challenge.
#SwitchTheChobaniFlip follows a similarly participatory effort on Instagram in September. Chobani launched an interactive Instagram Story to let users "tap to solve" a puzzle that highlights ingredients in the brand's lactose-free Complete line. With its gamified activations on social media, Chobani can engage mobile users with branded experiences that are likely to leave a longer-lasting impression than static posts or video ads. Major brands such as Chipotle and Doritos have included gamified content in recent campaigns to connect with consumers on mobile devices, including times when they're also watching TV in the background.
The yogurt brand's recent introduction to TikTok arrives in the lead-up to its first Super Bowl appearance, in which Chobani will advertise its oat milk beverage on local CBS stations in 11 markets, including Philadelphia, Dallas, Minneapolis and Sacramento, California.
