Maximising Digital Creative for TikTok
After launching its “Let’s make it sparkle” brand platform in November 2023, featuring a flamboyant flock of pink flamingos, Very set out to amplify the impact of its brand characters across channels. To bring its Toys TV campaign to life on TikTok, Very wanted to assess whether the digital cutdown resonated with both general audiences and TikTok users.
Digital advertising poses unique challenges for brands, as viewers typically engage with campaigns for just 2 seconds on average. This limited attention span results in modest emotional resonance and brand recognition, with only 1.5% of digital ads achieving a 4-Star Rating or higher, compared to 10% on TV. Recognising this, Very aimed to optimise their digital asset to maximise impact across all channels.
Working closely with the TikTok team through System1’s partnership with the platform, Very tested its Toys cutdown using System1’s Test Your Ad Digital tool, enhanced with the additional Guidance module to gain actionable recommendations based on both quantitative and qualitative findings. By testing the campaign with a platform-specific audience, Very aimed to identify which creative elements resonated most, and where improvements could be made to maximise long-term impact (Star Rating), short-term impact (Spike Rating), and total brand recognition (Fluency Rating).
Test Your Ad Digital provided insights into whether the messaging resonated, whether “Coral”—the pink flamingo from their new brand character flock—effectively cued the brand, and whether the ad succeeded in hooking and holding consumer attention long enough to make an impact. System1’s attention tool, integrated into the Test Your Ad Digital product, allowed Very to understand the percentage of the ad viewers watched, replicating real-life viewing behaviour, as consumers were given the option to skip the ad.
The results were outstanding: the cutdown asset achieved a 5.0 Star Rating among TikTok users, exceptional short-term sales potential, and 77% 2-second brand recognition—36% above the TikTok ad average.
Very’s TikTok campaign sets a new standard for digital advertising success, harnessing a vibrant visual “hook,” identified by System1 and TikTok as crucial for high-performing digital ads. With bold colours, an upbeat soundtrack, and the brand’s instantly recognisable flamingo fluent devices, the campaign captures attention immediately.
By introducing Coral, a young flamingo character, paired with a TikTok-viral soundtrack, Very achieved platform-specific relevance while preserving the emotional, character-driven storytelling style of its TV ads. In a digital space often dominated by sales-focused visuals, Very’s distinctive and engaging approach forged meaningful connections and delivered lasting impact.
The campaign also underscored the compounding power of consistency across channels, as highlighted in a recent System1 study, which emphasised the importance of maintaining consistency across social media, TV, and outdoor advertising. The Very flamingos have proven to be invaluable brand assets, acting as a “consistency glue” that drives brand recognition and emotional resonance throughout the marketing funnel.
Andrew Tindall, Senior Vice President Global Partnerships, System1 said:
“Our consistency research, developed with IPA effectiveness data, has made the case for consistency clearer than ever. The success of Very’s TikTok campaign is further proof that a culture of consistency is crucial for brand success. Too often, we see brands treating TV, OOH, and digital media in isolation, but Very’s unity across all channels is both powerful and clearly effective. Our work with TikTok has given us a unique opportunity to observe the impact of consistency in practice, strengthening our understanding of what truly works in the digital landscape.”
"Exposure to the launch of our ‘Let’s make it sparkle’ platform drove a 22% increase in target customer consideration, highlighting the impact of our approach. Growing our brand remains central to our business strategy, and research clearly shows that consistency is vital. That’s why our fabulous flamingos, like the adorable Coral, have been featured so prominently across our marketing this year. Connecting with audiences in the environments where they are is key, we see the benefit in developing engaging digital channel first creative to further amplify the impact of our brand platform – and these results show it works."
Jessica Myers Chief Customer Officer, The Very Group
The Toys campaign more than doubles the average for digital ads, the highest ever TikTok ad performance.
Very’s creative campaigns continue to soar with its fabulous flamingos, achieving a remarkable 5.0 Star Rating on System1’s Test Your Ad platform for its latest TikTok campaign.
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