Brief:

• TikTok's U.K. division debuted its first campaign in the country, showcasing educational content that creators have developed for the popular video-sharing app. "A-Z of TikTok" highlights the platform's work with more than 800 creators, including educators, experts and nonprofit groups, to provide tutorials, master classes, tips, hacks and tricks, all backed by a €13 million fund in Europe, the company announced.
• TikTok began testing a "Learn" feed whose tab appears next to the "For You" and "Following" sections and offers a continuous series of videos with the #LearnonTikTok hashtag. The feature includes video shorts from the Royal Society of Chemistry and The Met Office, which is the U.K.'s national weather service.
• TikTok created a 30-second spot narrated by English actor and TV host Stephen Fry to highlight the wide range of educational content on the app, from "aeronautics" to "zoology." The marketing push comes as it looks to position itself as a feel-good social platform with its "Good Vibes" campaign.

Insight:

TikTok's campaign in the U.K. to showcase its educational content may help to expand its audience, giving marketers broader reach in the country. The #LearnonTikTok effort comes as TikTok tests a "Learn" feed to highlight its growing library of informational content from creators, educational institutions and scientific organizations in the U.K. The app has rapidly expanded its user base with a focus on videos that are most likely to go viral, especially lighthearted entertainment that's easy for younger audiences to consume on their smartphones. By expanding its library of educational content, TikTok aims to give mobile users another reason to check in with the app. 

The #LearnonTikTok effort also aims to demonstrate how the social app can provide a public good, which can help to improve consumer perception of its brand. That's especially important for TikTok in the U.K. as its Chinese parent company ByteDance has considered whether to open a global headquarters in London. The status of those plans is said to be in flux amid the possibility that the U.S. will ban the app over national security concerns.

While the U.K. government hasn't announced any formal plans to ban TikTok in the country, ByteDance may get swept up in political conflicts between the U.K. and China. The U.K. government's decision to order the country's mobile providers to remove all 5G equipment made by Chinese technology giant Huawei from their networks by 2027 has added to the tensions. The move followed U.S. sanctions on Huawei, which has denied it poses a threat to national security.

TikTok downloads plunged after India banned dozens of Chinese-made apps following a military conflict with China, but the social video app has remained popular. With many people stuck indoors during the pandemic, TikTok is among the social media apps that have seen a jump in usage. TikTok has maintained its spot as the most downloaded app worldwide every quarter this year despite the ban in India, according to researcher Sensor Tower. TikTok may avoid a ban in the U.S. through an agreement to sell its U.S. operations or through successful legal challenges.