Storytelling and Brand Advertisement: An Analysis of TikTok Influencers in Vietnam

Abstract

TikTok has become a phenomenon when it attracts a big number of followers thanks to its creative video content and the users who make it, so brands choose TikTok as a channel of communication to endorse their brands in the users’ videos via many narrative styles. Using the qualitative research with case study approach, the paper aims to cover three main points: (1) common storytelling techniques, (2) influencers’ advertisement videos using these techniques and purchase intentions, and (3) micro influencers used for advertising campaigns on TikTok. The finding shows that the most common storytelling techniques on TikTok are humorous content, product review, storytelling dance, and making an experience relating to products and life; TikTok platform is used for influencer marketing in which micro/ nano influencers are hired to endorse a brand in their videos for advertisement via experience content and continuous engagement impacting their followers on purchase intention; the choice of influencers depends on a brand’s budget and communication objectives besides other criteria but a mix of different types of influencers is more feasible. The research implicates the potential trend in using influencers in TikTok to create brand advertisement content with various storytelling methods in a brand advertising campaign in recent years.