TikTok Ad Awards 2024 Winners
For The Spicy Love of Fries, KFC, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
KFC's signature spicy fries have been a fan favorite for years, known for their crispy texture and perfectly balanced heat. When the fries were showcased on TikTok, the response was overwhelming—customers flooded the platform with positive comments and feedback. Many viewers requested more of the signature spicy coating, prompting KFC to take the next step: the Spicy Fries Bucket. This new product took the beloved fries, amped up the spice, and offered them in a shareable, larger portion. The Spicy Fries Bucket quickly became a hit, proving the power of listening to customer feedback and creatively evolving a beloved product. It highlights KFC's commitment to staying true to its bold, flavorful brand while embracing innovation driven by its community.
A Mama and Baba kinda love, Chevrolet Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Reusable Ads, City Lodge, South Africa
City Lodge Hotels launched a creative, cost-effective campaign called "Reusable Ads" to encourage South Africans to take a break from life's stresses, particularly during the pandemic. The campaign featured three humorous, dialogue-free films with comedy carried entirely by subtitles. These films highlighted relatable reasons why people need a break, using silent performances and dramatic scenes to convey the message. The unique aspect of the campaign was its sustainability—by creating ads that could be easily repurposed, City Lodge saved on production costs and reduced carbon emissions from reshooting. After releasing the initial films, the team monitored social and media trends to identify real-life events and conversations that could prompt South Africans to seek a holiday. The films were then re-written to respond to these trending topics, ensuring the message stayed fresh and relevant. The entire campaign aligned with City Lodge's new positioning: "Life is Hard. Check into Easy," emphasizing that sometimes all it takes to cope with life's challenges is a break.
#MakeUpForThePay_Gap, ItsHerWay, United Arab Emirates
Globally, women earn 23% less than men, and in the GCC, the gap is even wider, reaching 54% (52% in the UAE). To address this issue, ItsHerWay.com, the UAE's leading female entrepreneur network, launched a low-budget social media campaign aimed at raising awareness of the gender pay gap. The campaign used TikTok, chosen for its large female audience and popular makeup tutorial format, to send a powerful message. In the videos, a woman begins a typical #GRWM (Get Ready With Me) makeup tutorial but transforms into a man as she applies makeup, revealing the shocking fact that women often need to "become a man" to earn the same pay. The campaign culminated on International Equal Pay Day with the first-ever Equal Pay conference in the region, where companies pledged to work towards closing the gender pay gap.
Hearing Challenge, Vodacom, South Africa
Vodacom's 'Hearing Challenge' aimed to raise awareness about hearing loss among South African youth by using an interactive, music-based hearing test. The test featured an Amapiano song by Lady Du, embedded in a TikTok filter, where the song's clarity progressively decreased to simulate hearing loss. This fun, engaging challenge encouraged teens to test their hearing while sharing their results on social media. Participants with potential hearing issues were directed to the HearZA app for a free hearing test. The campaign went viral, sparking conversations about hearing health and encouraging more teens to seek professional help.
Saraylı Furnishings, QNB Finansbank, Turkey
Another Kind of Girl Math, Kız Başına, Turkey
Lexus Content Lab, Al-Futtaim Lexus, United Arab Emirates
Lexus Content Lab engaged the #CarTok community by empowering car enthusiasts to improve their content creation skills. Instead of a traditional campaign, Lexus partnered with two UAE creators—Amir de Leon, known for action-packed edits, and CGI expert 100.Pixels—to host hands-on workshops. These sessions taught participants dynamic filming techniques and advanced CGI tricks, helping them produce higher-quality TikToks that showcased their passion for cars. Lexus took an active role in supporting and celebrating the creativity of the #CarTok community, fostering engagement and a deeper connection to the brand.
NIVEA Luminous630 Crash Test Live Campaign, NIVEA, Turkey
You Be The Judge, Roadster Diner, Lebanon
#MakeUpForThePay_Gap, ItsHerWay, United Arab Emirates
Globally, women earn 23% less than men, and in the GCC, the gap is even wider, reaching 54% (52% in the UAE). To address this issue, ItsHerWay.com, the UAE's leading female entrepreneur network, launched a low-budget social media campaign aimed at raising awareness of the gender pay gap. The campaign used TikTok, chosen for its large female audience and popular makeup tutorial format, to send a powerful message. In the videos, a woman begins a typical #GRWM (Get Ready With Me) makeup tutorial but transforms into a man as she applies makeup, revealing the shocking fact that women often need to "become a man" to earn the same pay. The campaign culminated on International Equal Pay Day with the first-ever Equal Pay conference in the region, where companies pledged to work towards closing the gender pay gap.
Fawazir, Chevrolet Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Feel the Fire, Chicken Licken, South Africa
Chicken Licken's campaign for its spiciest menu item, Rock My Soul® chicken, aimed to "turn up the heat" and engage South Africa through a fun, interactive TikTok challenge. The campaign featured actor Atandwa Kani (from *Black Panther*) as Khwezi Duma, an aspiring Hollywood star, guided by his agent, Razz Matazz. To bring the campaign to life on TikTok, Chicken Licken launched the "Rock My Soul® Star Search" challenge, giving everyday South Africans the chance to audition for a role in the next commercial by acting alongside Razz Matazz. This interactive approach was the brand’s first TikTok content, offering participants the opportunity to showcase their acting skills for the coveted prize of appearing in a future ad.
Another Kind of Girl Math, Kız Başına, Turkey
Saraylı Furnishings, QNB Finansbank, Turkey
Digitalization is a significant challenge for SMEs in Turkey. QNB offers a tailored solution called the Digital Bridge. To effectively reach SMEs and highlight the benefits, we created a TikTok account called Saraylı Furnishings. Through this account, we communicated with our target audience about Digital Bridge in an organic way. We showcased the daily challenges faced by businesses not using the platform and crafted TikTok-native content that leveraged current trends to raise awareness of our products and services.
Wastan in Ramadan, Chevrolet Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
The Comfort Chronicles Ramadan Series, Comfort, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Comfort launched a limited-edition fabric softener, *Royal Amber*, for Ramadan, introducing it as the new "It Girl" in their product lineup. Inspired by the viral 'Sharpie drama' TikTok trend, the brand decided to create a melodramatic, Khaleeji-style series for TikTok, tapping into the popular genre of Ramadan TV dramas. The result was *The Comfort Chronicles*, a 13-episode comedy series that humorously follows three fabric softener sisters, each named after Comfort variants, who discover they have a new sister, Malika (Royal Amber). Malika is everything they’re not—charming, beautiful, and uniquely fragrant. The series mixes melodrama with humor, keeping viewers entertained throughout Ramadan while promoting the new product. The campaign was brought to life by a Saudi content creator, and it engaged audiences with its entertaining, Emmy-worthy narrative.
The Lunch Bar Man, Lunch Bar, South Africa
In 2024, Lucas "#TheLunchBarMan" Baloyi gained viral fame on TikTok by claiming that aliens were visiting South Africa to steal Lunch Bars. His conspiracy theories began with a viral video of him sneaking around a LunchBar depot, which quickly spread across social media through a brand-specific account and local influencers. Over the course of weeks, he released a series of TikTok videos linking UFO sightings in South Africa to the candy, complete with "evidence" and humorous commentary. His content resonated deeply with TikTok audiences, driving millions of views and increasing engagement on LunchBar’s TikTok by over 207%. The videos sparked widespread user-generated content, further amplifying the campaign’s reach. The campaign’s success was praised for its hyperlocal storytelling and humor, which helped connect multiple generations of South Africans to the brand. As of now, the campaign has accumulated over 60 million views.
Hearing Challenge, Vodacom, South Africa
Vodacom's 'Hearing Challenge' aimed to raise awareness about hearing loss among South African youth by using an interactive, music-based hearing test. The test featured an Amapiano song by Lady Du, embedded in a TikTok filter, where the song's clarity progressively decreased to simulate hearing loss. This fun, engaging challenge encouraged teens to test their hearing while sharing their results on social media. Participants with potential hearing issues were directed to the HearZA app for a free hearing test. The campaign went viral, sparking conversations about hearing health and encouraging more teens to seek professional help.
Bedtime Stories, City Lodge, South Africa
City Lodge Hotels, a major South African hotel chain catering to business travelers, sought to stand out in a crowded market by addressing a key issue: stress and poor sleep among business travelers. Recognizing that most hotels offer wake-up calls but fail to help guests sleep well, City Lodge launched *Bedtime Stories for Business People*, a playful series of guided meditations. These personalized bedtime stories, tailored to eight different types of business travelers, aimed to help them relax and sleep better. The stories were promoted via in-room materials and a targeted social media campaign. By combining innovation and humor, City Lodge built loyalty among business travelers while addressing a common pain point in the industry.
Keep Asking Why, Nissan, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Sound off please!, Migros Yemek, Turkey
The Originals, KFC, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt
KFC's "The Originals" campaign aimed to shake off its "old-school" image and resonate with Gen-Z through music and creativity. Partnering with rappers Abo El Anwar and Slo Moe, the campaign featured a hip-hop song that blended the Colonel, his crew, and KFC’s iconic chicken. The campaign launched on Spotify, but the real impact came from TikTok, where a branded effect encouraged users to create content using the music and visuals. This led to over 7,400 user-generated videos and 633 million impressions across platforms, with TikTok accounting for 160 million. By embedding itself in TikTok's culture, KFC became part of the conversation and a cultural moment for Gen-Z.
The Comfort Chronicles Ramadan Series, Comfort, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Comfort launched a limited-edition fabric softener, *Royal Amber*, for Ramadan, introducing it as the new "It Girl" in their product lineup. Inspired by the viral 'Sharpie drama' TikTok trend, the brand decided to create a melodramatic, Khaleeji-style series for TikTok, tapping into the popular genre of Ramadan TV dramas. The result was *The Comfort Chronicles*, a 13-episode comedy series that humorously follows three fabric softener sisters, each named after Comfort variants, who discover they have a new sister, Malika (Royal Amber). Malika is everything they’re not—charming, beautiful, and uniquely fragrant. The series mixes melodrama with humor, keeping viewers entertained throughout Ramadan while promoting the new product. The campaign was brought to life by a Saudi content creator, and it engaged audiences with its entertaining, Emmy-worthy narrative.
NIVEA Luminous630 Crash Test Live Campaign, NIVEA, Turkey
The Original GameChangers, KFC, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
KFC’s *The Original GameChangers* campaign aimed to empower female gamers in Saudi Arabia by launching the country's first female-only esports team, sponsored by KFC. The initiative spotlighted female gaming talent and offered opportunities to compete in the *OG Cup* and Saudi eLeague. Three popular female gamers served as ambassadors, recruiting players through TikTok content. The campaign also introduced an AI CapCut filter on TikTok, allowing users to create gaming avatars and engage with the movement. By combining influencer partnerships and interactive features, KFC promoted inclusivity and elevated female gamers in the region.