The Power of Profile Frames

Short-form social media platform, TikTok, is unveiling new ways for brands to entertain and engage their audiences. To increase advertiser investment and enhance users’ in-app ad experiences, TikTok has introduced several interactive ad formats to the platform. According to TechCrunch (2021), the company promised these changes would make advertising more user-friendly, interactive, and creative. 

This blog post will cover TikTok’s newest digital offering: TikTok profile frames. Read more to learn about how our team can help your brand use frames to enhance your ad experience.

At an online conference in 2021, TikTok launched “super likes.” When a user likes an advertisement, surprise visual elements and icons will appear on the screen. Brands also have the option to add an optional custom pop-up window that will take viewers to the ad landing page after the “super like” display finishes playing.

TikTok has continued to deliver on their promise: they now offer standard add-ons such as stickers, download cards, and countdowns. Premium ad options such as shake surprises, pop-out showcases, and other interactive ad formats are also available to brands. Standard add-ons drive clicks and conversions, while premium add-ons build community and brand awareness.

Move over super likes—we’re saying hello to TikTok profile frames! TikTok profile frames are exclusive, limited-time displays featured on a user’s profile. As part of an ad campaign, brands can publish custom designs that wrap around, or “frame,” a user’s profile photo. Users can unlock these frames by completing interactive tasks or engaging with an advertisement.

Rising pop star Sabrina Carpenter partnered with TikTok to unveil an in-app experience to promote her “Short n’ Sweet” album. The #ShortnSweet in-app experience invited Sabrina Carpenter fans to participate in five interactive tasks in order to unlock an exclusive profile frame. This frame allows fans to showcase their love for the star and to signal to other TikTokers that they are members of Carpenter’s fanbase, “the Carpenters.”

Source: TikTok

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, the sequel to Gladiator I,  is an epic historical action film. The movie premiered in theaters November 22, 2024. The team at Paramount Pictures asked us to create a TikTok profile frame to promote the release of the movie.

We created three different designs for Paramount Pictures. Paramount provided Jackie (Creative Manager) and Chihiro (Senior Animator) with detailed design guidelines, references, and assets from the movie to work with.

Our team created mockups of the designs overlaying them over a TikTok profile template, so our clients would have a visual understanding of what the final product would look like in the application.

To unlock our frames, TikTok users had to post a video containing a Gladiator II green screen and the hashtag #GladiatorII.

• Enhance brand visibility: when users apply branded profile frames, they are sharing content that reflects the brand’s identity. Users become brand ambassadors and organically promote the brand to their followers.
• Drive engagement: customizable, limited-edition elements invite interaction. When users personalize their profiles with branded TikTok frames, they are engaging with a brand in a creative way.
• Encourage virality: unique and visually appealing content generates conversation. A well-designed profile frame can be an important element in making a brand’s marketing campaign go viral.

The battle for attention is nothing new; however, TikTok profile frames and other interactive ad formats are essential for stopping the scroll and cutting through the noise. Users benefit by enjoying experiences that reflect their interests and encourage personal self-expression, while businesses benefit from increased visibility and engagement.

With the right combination of experience, skill, and guidance, your brand can use TikTok profile frames to captivate the attention of your audience. To learn more about how we can be a part of your next marketing campaign, contact us at info@baretreemedia.com or visit our website.