Destination Toronto has become the first Canadian brand to utilize TikTok’s new Out of Phone offering, which was announced during Advertising Week NY in October.
The new ad product enables advertisers to share their TikTok campaigns on different kinds of OOH platforms, thanks to partnerships with Adomni, Canada's Dive Billboards, GSTV, Loop TV, Radiant, ReachTV, Redbox, Screenvision, VEVO and more. Digital screens range from from billboards to kiosks, cinemas, bars, restaurants, airports and gas stations.
The new ad product enables advertisers to share their TikTok campaigns on different kinds of OOH platforms, thanks to partnerships with Adomni, Canada's Dive Billboards, GSTV, Loop TV, Radiant, ReachTV, Redbox, Screenvision, VEVO and more. Digital screens range from from billboards to kiosks, cinemas, bars, restaurants, airports and gas stations.
“What this means for advertisers is the ability to maintain consistent, creative messaging across multiple channels, enrich their audience's experience, and amplify their reach beyond the four corners of a smartphone screen,” said TikTok’s global head of distribution, new screens, Dan Page. “It's a seamless blend of digital creativity with tangible world presence … delivering a multiplier effect on audience engagement that only this kind of crossover can achieve.”
Destination Toronto took advantage of the opportunity in New York City's Times Square to extend last year's "You Gotta See What We See" campaign. The Out of Phone buy played select TikTok videos from the campaign—featuring Toronto still and motion artist Blackpowerbarbie—2,500 times.
“TiKTok’s Out of Phone solution provided a valuable opportunity to explore audience engagement with our social content in a tangible and interactive offline experience,” said Destination Toronto’s VP of global marketing, Paula Port. Developed by Bensimon Byrne, the campaign was already targeting American tourists through social ad spend in key markets including New York/New Jersey, San Francisco/San Jose, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
TikTok presented the opportunity to the brand, feeling it was the right avenue for Destination Toronto to test new engagement strategies.
“Given early indications, we are extremely pleased with our participation—the exposure, the placement, the impressions are all strong,” said Port. “We’ve heard great feedback from our partners and stakeholders who are enthusiastic about our willingness to innovate and to develop these partnerships. We’re looking forward to working with TikTok and Dive to deepen our post-campaign learnings and to better understand the online and offline interaction insights for future campaigns.”
Netflix was the first advertiser to test the joint services of the Out of Phone product and Dive Billboards, booking a US campaign for the release of its series Your Place Or Mine in February. The creative prompted passerby to submit user-generated content via a hashtag, which Dive then curated with TikTok to ensure alignment with the client’s messaging.
Page said that brands from a diverse range of sectors and industries in Canada and elsewhere have expressed interest in the product, which can be adapted for any market.
“While the iconic backdrop of Times Square certainly offers significant visibility, the true value lies in empowering Canadian brands—or any brand—to share their message on a global stage,” he said. “It's about creating a harmonious branding ecosystem that flows seamlessly from online to the physical world, regardless of location.”
The product enables brands to create genuine connections with consumers, said Paige. “It's a transformative shift in marketing dynamics, indicating a future where realness is not only appreciated but expected across all consumer touchpoints.”
