TikTok picks PHD for its global Agency of Record

TikTok has concluded its search for a global media partner, appointing PHD as its Global Agency of Record to manage media planning and buying duties across all channels in international markets outside of China. The appointment is effective immediately and will see the global media network facilitate duties across the globe, working closely with the social platform’s global leadership team in Beijing. 

As one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world, hitting 1 billion downloads globally in February 2019, TikTok’s tremendous success has contributed to its parent company, ByteDance, being named the world’s most valuable start-up. The app, which specialises in short-form video content, became the world’s most downloaded iOS app in the first half of 2018 and has remained among the top 4 global apps on all mobile operating systems ever since. The company will now leverage PHD’s global media expertise to drive further growth. 

Anna Chitty, CEO of PHD China, commented, “As a ‘challenger brand at scale’, PHD shares common values and thinking with TikTok, which has broken records in the social media landscape to become the fastest-growing platform in history. We are honoured to partner with such an incredible success story and look forward to the challenge of accelerating their global momentum further.” 

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Reacting to the win, Philippa Brown, Worldwide CEO of PHD, said, “We’re delighted to be partnering with TikTok at this exciting stage in the platform’s growth journey. The global assignment utilises PHD’s key network capabilities and expertise in areas such as technology, data and digital content.” 

Omnicom Media Group China’s Chief Operating Officer, Claudine Kwek, commented, “This is yet another validation of our brand-led, Group-powered approach in delivering market-leading solutions for our clients. It is also a testament to all the transformation efforts we have undertaken as a Group in China, attracting a new breed of clients with our agile systems and highly focused Centres of Excellence. We look forward to deploying these services for TikTok and working with them on the continuation of their global success story.”