TikTok Ad Awards 2024 honours the best ad campaigns from Singapore and Malaysia

Creativity is the reason TikTok is often perceived as a harbinger of entertainment and culture trends. It’s also the reason TikTok creators continue to gain influence and grow their following, as they continually create authentic content that both informs and entertains.

Right alongside creators, brands too are using their creative prowess and know-how to produce novel ads and branded content exclusive to the platform. And given that so many brands in the region are keen to show off their playful side with irreverent content, TikTok is naturally suited to convey brand messaging in a hugely entertaining way.

There’s plenty of evidence that creativity is the fuel for performance marketing, and many brands in the region are smart enough to use compelling narratives leading to real-world action. And if persuasion is key, there’s no better way to engage and convert than an entertaining TikTok video.

So, for the first time this year, TikTok is celebrating the best ads in the region with The TikTok Ad Awards, an annual awards programme for Southeast Asia with the purpose of celebrating creative brand solutions, innovation, and effectiveness on the platform. Seeking entries from key markets across the region, the work is judged by an esteemed jury comprising brand and agency leaders, with separate panels for each market.

There are four accolades to be won for campaigns: best branding, best performance, best commerce, and best local hero. The latter award is intended to celebrate businesses that have leveraged TikTok ads to impact their business and local community. Additionally, there are separate awards for best media and creative agencies.

Despite 2024 being the inaugural year for the annual awards, TikTok garnered an impressive 1,047 submissions across Southeast Asia, with 228 of them from Singapore and Malaysia. The decision for the awards to be judged at a local-market level means that homegrown nuances and context do not get lost in translation. As it were, the perceived homogeneity of Asia markets in the West is the reason so much great content from Southeast Asia often flies under the radar on the global awards stage. 

So, let’s break down a few of the winners so far. 

In Singapore, local brand Sterra was a big champ as it won a gold for best performance and silver for best local hero for its innovative air purifier campaign that resonated with pet owners, using the hashtag #PetsofTikTok. Within the prevalent hashtag, the brand inspired creators to share their pets’ shedding habits, linking them to the brand’s air purifier and dehumidifier products.

Sterra

Meanwhile, the Singapore Civil Defence Force picked up a gold for best branding for its viral campaign to educate the public on only contacting emergency medical services when a real emergency occurs. Local recruitment app JobsOnDemand — in collaboration with local agency Visibiliti — impressed jury members with its skit-based campaigns and picked up two awards in two respective categories: best local hero (gold) and best performance (Bronze). 

SCDF

JobsOnDemand

Across the pond in Malaysia, McDonald’s surpassed 50 competitors to clinch a gold in the best branding category. The brand leveraged TikTok-native content by showcasing Malaysia-based singer Alyph’s rendition of a viral song. The campaign was successful in engaging Gen Z audiences with interactive ads and the #DoDaDip challenge to promote the brand’s McNuggets sauces. Overall, McDonald’s gained a 16% boost in ad recall and a 6% increase in nuggets purchases among teens.

McDonald's Malaysia