Jingle all the way in which: The story behind Nationwide’s viral TikTok marketing campaign

Within the fast-paced world of TikTok advertising and marketing, going viral has turn into a coveted achievement, providing companies, like insurance coverage firm Nationwide, the possibility to succeed in huge audiences in a brief house of time in a approach conventional media can’t.

Some insurance coverage firms have been fast to acknowledge the worth of connecting with audiences via the platform, and not too long ago, Nationwide has been capable of leverage a chunk of viral media into an attention-grabbing marketing campaign.

Round September 2023, audio that includes a then five-year-old Zaya Campbell (Zaya, pictured above, is now 11) singing Nationwide’s “On Your Aspect” jingle began circulating broadly on TikTok. Campbell impressed viewers together with her gospel singer-like vibrato, one thing she possible inherited from her mom Erica, a recent gospel artist.

Music has been the cornerstone of Nationwide’s branding – and now, its success on TikTok, in keeping with Kristi Daraban (pictured under), AVP of promoting and head of social media at Nationwide.

“We now have been rooted in our jingle for a lot of, a few years, and it is one thing that’s iconic to our manufacturers,” mentioned Daraban. “TikTok being a pure place the place music performs such a giant element, we have been actually excited once we noticed that the video of Zaya Campbell was posted together with her mom, Erica.”

Nationwide’s iconic jingle evokes viral Tiktok audio

Not lengthy after Zaya’s vocals gained traction on TikTok, Nationwide reached out to her household to collaborate on extra content material. She later recorded one other video that included her authentic audio.

_{Picture courtesy: Erica Campbell on Instagram}

“We wished to see if we might get them to do a video for us, to assist assist the virality and maintain the momentum going,” mentioned Daraban. “They have been very great to work with, and we thought perhaps it could final per week or so, and it has gone on weeks and months later.”

However the pattern developed, with TikTok customers posting their very own variations impressed by Zaya, which impressed Nationwide to broaden on the chance and strengthen its branding.

In partnership with Zaya’s household, the Nationwide social media group launched a TikTok problem to profit highschool music packages. In December, 5 colleges have been awarded $5,000 primarily based on the variety of likes they acquired on the platform. The preliminary contest video gained nearly 4 million views, in keeping with Daraban.

“We pulled in our influencers and companions to assist gas the hearth. As a model, we did not get in the way in which. We did not put any roadblocks or tips. As an alternative, we celebrated the movies we favored,” the social media head mentioned.

“We ended up reaching out to a whole lot of creators. We wished to foster it, so we tried to do the whole lot in our energy to maintain that momentum in a constructive approach, and we noticed good reciprocation.”

The opposite key was grounding the content material again to Nationwide’s philanthropy.

“We wished to root in and nurture the musical talents of the TikTok group, however particularly tie again to our enterprise by supporting training,” mentioned Daraban.

“We now have traditionally accomplished different initiatives that includes training, so we naturally thought what an effective way to provide again. We took it within the course we thought would improve our model most, and it has accomplished properly for us.”

Nationwide launched its TikTok in 2022 to have interaction and educate youthful audiences in insurance coverage.

In response to Daraban, it took their group a yr and a half to craft a singular technique for creating content material for the platform.

“This isn’t a lower and paste of different issues we have been doing, so we needed to be purposeful and aware of how we need to method TikTok,” she mentioned.

“We began off utilizing influencers and have crafted an amazing technique of incorporating music, training, info, and ideas, highlighting some traits but additionally being rooted within the jingle, which I believe is among the causes this has paid off so properly and naturally for us.”

The viral stunt with Zaya has boosted Nationwide’s attain on all its platforms. For Daraban, consideration on TikTok is a large win that different insurance coverage firms can leverage in the event that they’re strategic about creating worth for viewers.

“I’ve all the time thought that if you are going to be on any platform, you should be including worth, whether or not it’s leisure, worth, or training,” she mentioned. “However you need to match the tone and magnificence of the platform, which is one thing we’ve embraced.”

What are your ideas the viral Nationwide jingle and TikTok competitors? Inform us within the feedback.