As a young individual, who has not yet understood whether they’re a Gen Zer or a Millennial, but is really interested in exploring the modern, digital side of cultural institutions, I am all for museums applying fun and innovative marketing techniques that appeal to the younger generations.
After hours of scrolling on TikTok, I realized that I have seen all types of brands and companies promoted on TikTok- with fashion and beauty being the most common- but no TikToks related to arts, culture, or heritage appeared on my FYP. Shouldn’t cultural institutions try to attract the younger audiences on the platforms they mostly prefer?
Gen Z and Millennials are, naturally, the two most active TikTok users’ categories, and TikTok influencer marketing is gaining more and more traction. According to Morning Consult, 72% of Gen Z and Millennials follow influencers! Fortunately, after doing some research on the platform, I found three examples that confirmed my belief that museums could invest in gaining visibility on TikTok and leverage influencers on this platform, should they want to stay up to date and have an impact on young people.
1. Chiara Ferragni and the Vatican Museum
Although the Vatican Museum does not have a TikTok account, it was promoted on this platform by Chiara Ferragni, who took a private tour on the museum and shared her experience with her large digital audience on both Instagram and TikTok.
On TikTok, macro-influencer Chiara Ferragni has 4.3 Million of followers, and 183.1K likes on her video from the Vatican museum.
Due to her influence, the Vatican Museum has definitely gained more visibility, and this could have reinforced its attempts to re-engage with its audience, that because of Covid-19 could not visit the museum for a long period of time.
2. “Bored in the House” and the Uffizi Galleries
Curtis Roach is another example of a famous TikToker who had a positive influence on a museum’s digital presence. With an audience of 2M people, he is the person behind the famous TikTok sound “Bored in the House” that has been used in many videos around the globe during the quarantine.
The Uffizi Galleries, that have adopted a funny and quirky tone of voice on their TikTok account, saw in this sound the opportunity to present their painting "Lady in White" by Giovanni Boldini in a way that would resonate with the viewers.
This sound, combined with lip syncing, led to 2.245 likes on the video. This is just an example of the creative use of famous TikTok sounds by the specific museum, that made me hit the “Follow” button.
3. #MakeitVogue Challenge and the MET Museum
In my view, TikTok hashtags could be a great tool for museums to start trends and raise awareness about art, culture, and various other topics, by creating a sense of community.
The collaboration between the MET Museum and Vogue led to the hashtag #MakeitVogue which is described as “a partnership with Vogue to celebrate fashion history by taking a look inside The Met's new "About Time" exhibition. Featuring the Bustle, a historical garment that women were wearing in the 19th century, this trend invites users to present their own versions of this type of clothing.
One of the TikTokers who took part in this trend is @astadarling, a “CEO of Time Travel” with a following base of 1.3M who got 561.8K likes on this video.
The famous Emma Chamberlain and Brittany Xavier are also among the TikTokers who participated in the trend. What a creative and fun way to connect with younger people and show them older fashion trends!
I firmly believe that TikTok can be an excellent tool for cultural institutions and museums, given the modern digital landscape and the preferences of the new generations. When prioritizing the respectful, but at the same time, fun, modern, and unique promotion of such valuable artworks, museums can really be a part of the everyday lives of younger individuals.
Organizations with a more limited budget who cannot collaborate with macro-influencers, could emphasize on producing regular content of value, participating in trends, and maybe connecting with micro- and nano-influencers. When there is creativity, there is a way!
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