Like Instagram and YouTube before it, TikTok has become a home for influencers and marketers hoping to go viral – or at least get viewers to click a link and buy a shirt, a book or even a household cleaning product.
A previously unknown cleaner called The Pink Stuff went viral after an Instagram user sang its praises and once millions of its fans brought the product to a corner of TikTok called #CleanTok.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga says the challenge for companies whose obscure products take off on social media is keeping up with demand, and not getting in the way of a burgeoning phenomenon.
Highlights from this segment:
– The Pink Stuff has been around since 1931, though not always under that name. It was unknown outside of the United Kingdom.
– The influencer who first promoted The Pink Stuff did not work for the company who made it, or benefit financially. The company subsequently offered her free product.
– #CleanTok, which made The Pink Stuff famous, is a genre of videos featuring cleaning tips and products.
