HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Since our launch, TikTok has received an overwhelming response in the region including here in the Philippines. With a mission to inspire creativity and bring joy, TikTok has become a home for creative expression, and a destination for creating and discovering real, interesting and fun short-form mobile videos that will make your day.
We have evolved drastically. The platform has experienced rapid growth during the past few months, and we’re seeing this trend unfold uniformly across all markets right before our very eyes.
“ The need for joy and positivity has rarely felt more needed during this time. This is a difficult time for the world as a whole, but it's also possible for our shared sense of concern to be a commonality that brings us closer. ”
The quarantine has been a major factor that quickly made our numbers grow. With more people staying home, it is only natural to see more people turning to platforms like TikTok to stay entertained, informed and connected.
We have also seen an increase in user activities, as our platform plays a part in connecting and meaningfully engaging communities even while we’re physically apart.
The need for joy and positivity has rarely felt more needed during this time. This is a difficult time for the world as a whole, but it's also possible for our shared sense of concern to be a commonality that brings us closer.
The engagement of users and the surge of love and support for each other during these challenging times made TikTok a huge space of positivity and inspiration.
Realizing our impact and influence as a global platform, we focused on providing our community access to accurate information, in partnership with trusted local health officials, while supporting our users around the world in ways that are positive and beneficial.
At the same time, we also supported relief efforts to help those who have been deeply impacted by the crisis.
Globally, TikTok has committed over $250 million to support communities that have been affected during this challenging period.
In the Philippines in particular, we have donated $1 million to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. for the benefit of doctors and medical workers in the Philippines.
Empowering our users with educational resources and valuable information from credible sources became our priority. We made COVID-19 Updates page readily available, an informational page that offers facts from the World Health Organization (WHO), answers common questions, gives tips on staying safe, and busts common myths surrounding COVID-19.
Further, we've partnered with WHO to promote a global #SafeHands challenge to encourage hygienic habits without adding to alarm. Since the WHO kicked off the challenge, we’ve been overwhelmed by the dedication our community has demonstrated to prevent the spread of the virus by sharing the songs and sounds they use to encourage thorough handwashing.
During these difficult times, we want to support our users around the world in ways that are positive and beneficial and can provide users with some comfort. That’s the reason we’ve launched the regional challenge #StayAtHome, along with various local “At Home” hashtags to encourage users to share snippets of their lives at home.
Offering a window into people’s homes, the challenge showcases how people are living through this unprecedented crisis and passing time creatively with the fun stickers and filters. In addition to these hashtag challenges, TikTok is bringing live celebrity entertainment with the help of local artists like Ben&Ben.
Our new normal
Like the rest of the world, we’re now working remotely and adapting to the “new normal.”
While digital collaboration tools have made this easier, it’s exceptionally important to maintain a human connection through video chats and virtual team meetings. The well-being of our teammates is of utmost importance, so we maintain regular catch-ups and encourage everyone to take a rest when needed.
We are all operating in uncertain times, and it’s more important now than ever before for both brands and global communities to come together to help those in need.
Whether that be through partnerships to help frontline healthcare workers, spreading public service announcements to promote proper hygiene, or simply turning to TikTok as a form of creative expression, we’re spreading the message that we truly are all in this together even when we can’t physically be together.
TikTok forward
Moving forward, we are taking learning into the spotlight.
“ We want consumers to see TikTok as a safe place where everyone belongs regardless of who they are or where they are from. It’s a place for consumers to not only find new ideas but also to learn, express their creativity and share their passion. ”
TikTok is taking an active role in supporting the community by providing another channel for educational content. Users can now find creative, inspiring yet effective access to the most practical and up-to-date knowledge that is useful to their learning and life. And we encourage our creators to keep creating accurate, reliable, and ingenious content to make information accessible to others.
We want to enable everyone to not only consume but learn, and not just create content but express their creativity. We want consumers to see TikTok as a safe place where everyone belongs regardless of who they are or where they are from. It’s a place for consumers to not only find new ideas but also to learn, express their creativity and share their passion.
We’ll continue to diversify our content by working with different creators and partners and create new, engaging challenges that will inspire participation from all of our users in front of an inclusive community that embraces this diverse and positive experience, and that is something that we’ll continue to do as a platform.
Edited by Janvic Mateo
Tiffany Diep is a communications champion with over 15 years of experience, successfully building a reputation for big brands in Vietnam and emerging markets. She is the TikTok head of PR for the Philippines and Emerging Markets in the Southeast Asian region. Tiff has a strong passion for Pilates, swimming and painting.
