2020 was full of unexpected challenges and obstacles that changed the way many of us discover and enjoy live entertainment. For our TikTok LIVE event team, a shift to livestreaming presented an incredible opportunity to connect with our global in-app community and give users direct access to their favorite creators and artists.
To conclude the year with a bang and break new ground in livestreaming, we recently held a global LIVE New Year's Eve Party that recapped the highlights of 2020 on TikTok. The event was hosted by Brittany Broski and Lil Yachty and featured a live performance by Jason Derulo, as well as appearances by Mick Fleetwood and Charli D'Amelio! This historic livestream was made a reality thanks to the innovative ideation and hard work of three members of Team TikTok -- Isabel Quinteros (Music Partnerships), Ashley Blackmon (Marketing), and Varshini Satish (Content Programming). Read how they created a memorable experience for millions of viewers, and how they've experienced life at TikTok!
Tell us a bit about yourself and your personal highlight of 2020!
Isabel: "I've been working on the music team at TikTok for almost two years. I currently lead Artist Partnerships, which involves bringing artists onto the app and giving them the tools to succeed. I love the creative aspect of my work, since we are always coming up with new creative campaigns and ways to include artists in our events! My highlight of 2020 was working with the Weeknd for the Weeknd Experience, which raised $350,000 for a great cause (the Equal Justice Initiative)."
Ashley: "I joined the marketing team at TikTok in the summer of 2020, just as we were launching our first-ever TV campaign ('It starts on TikTok'). Because my past experience was with brands in the consumer goods and lifestyle spaces, it was both challenging and exciting to join during such a large, global campaign; I could feel right away that the TikTok brand had a lot of runway for growth. My personal highlight of 2020 was meeting Mick Fleetwood for the New Year's Eve event pre-taping!"
Varshini: "I joined TikTok as my first job out of college in 2018. I worked for two years as a Growth Strategist before a recent transition into content programming, so this NYE Party was actually my first project on my new team (and the definite highlight of my year)! Both roles have helped me develop an understanding of the creator community and what drives new trends, so I have a huge appreciation for the app on several different levels."
What was the vision behind the NYE LIVE event? Did we draw on anything we had done previously?
Varshini: "By highlighting some of the most interesting and fun content of 2020, we wanted to celebrate with our creator community and end a challenging year on an uplifting note. Because TikTok is a global platform, we also set out to involve as many markets (and languages) as possible in the event, which meant collaborating with our offices and partners around the world. As for a template, we didn't have much to draw from for a massive global stream like this -- although we took some lessons from the Weeknd Experience earlier in the year, this was a real first in many ways!"
Ashley: "From a marketing standpoint, we looked at the competitive landscape and aimed to come up with something entirely original. As Varshini mentioned, The Weeknd Experience in August set the bar for TikTok LIVE because it was a success, but the content wasn't something we could copy; we had to break new ground for TikTok as both a brand and a product. This is what inspired a totally new event branding theme: an 'MTV in the '90s' creative vibe! We wanted to celebrate the legacy and history of that era in music because we knew it would resonate with our audience."
What did you find most rewarding about the event?
Isabel: "When the event was first conceived, the goal was to pair a music artist with a creator as the hosts. Leading Artist Partnerships, I helped identify and book our incredible host Lil Yachty, a true TikTok icon who understands the community (and his co-host) on a deeper level. As for the other artists involved, it took a tremendous effort from the whole music team to engage artists like Mick Fleetwood, Cardi B, Saweetie, and Jason Derulo (to name a few)! In the end, the most rewarding moment for me was seeing all these artists come together to spread joy and positivity after a difficult year."
Varshini: "Overall, we reached seven million viewers in nearly 100 countries, making it the biggest single-day livestream on TikTok! It was exciting to see our global community have fun looking back on the year together. In many ways, TikTok feels like a home where so many inside jokes are shared, and this stream really paid homage to all those special little moments. For me, the most challenging part of the project -- making the stream accessible in over a dozen languages -- was also the most rewarding. As Creative Producer for the entire event, I was wearing multiple hats and coordinating with many different teams on a tight timetable, so it meant a lot to share our hard work on such a large scale!"
What are some other memorable projects you've been a part of?
Ashley: "Year on TikTok was another memorable project I took part in that was done side-by-side with the TikTok LIVE NYE event. An in-app experience that provided a personalized review of users' 2020 on TikTok, Year on TikTok allowed people to celebrate and look back on the positives of an otherwise challenging year. It also showed us how we changed and grew over time. Together, Year on TikTok and the NYE LIVE event brought us into the new year on a high note!"
Isabel: "From the start, my team and I have been very involved in developing livestreaming on TikTok. For example, we launched a new livestream series called 'Sound Off' that allowed artists to connect with fans in an intimate setting. Over the course of 49 weeks, the series drew five million views and broke down the traditional barriers of accessibility to popular artists! Another milestone project was the rollout of Watermarked, a TikTok LIVE series that previews the releases of new music and introduces new concepts to the industry."
For those interested in working on your team, can you share some advice or final thoughts about life at TikTok?
Ashley: "Definitely! A major part of my experience so far has been learning how to be adaptable and tap into the expertise of different teams. You wear many hats at TikTok, so you need to be flexible and willing to learn when you encounter new challenges. For the NYE event, for example, I was called upon to work with Mick Fleetwood and some directors and producers, which required me to lean on experience I'd had in a previous job! Marketing takes on many different forms at TikTok, so it's all about embracing varied responsibilities and developing a broad skillset."
Varshini: "As someone who joined TikTok as a fresh graduate, I want future grads to know that there are so many jobs out there that you may not even know exist. Years ago, I had no idea what 'Content Programming' was, but now it's my passion -- so don't get too locked into one 'track' for your career! Be open to learning, exploring your passions, and betting on yourself. As for working at TikTok, there are virtually no limits to what you can accomplish with our incredible team, and you may just be laying the groundwork for future innovations!"
Isabel: "As Ashley mentioned, one of the keys to working at TikTok is to stay flexible and on top of everything since we're moving very quickly. I also say that 'relationships are currency,' meaning that you should build and invest in meaningful relationships both internally and externally, because what we do requires synergy and teamwork. These relationships are really the coolest part of life at TikTok, since you can learn from people who come from so many different cultures and backgrounds. And it doesn't hurt that you'll get to work with some of the coolest artists around the world too!"
Through historic events like the TikTok LIVE NYE Party, Isabel, Ashley, and Varshini are shaping the future of livestreaming and entertainment. As we turn our focus to 2021, we're excited to see how they continue to inspire creativity and bring joy with their initiatives around the globe!
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