Brand fusion, identity osmosis, and creative catalysts are the themes highlighted by TikTok in its 2025 What’s Next report.
The report aims to empower brands to not only navigate the year ahead but to shape it, sparking new ways to connect, engage, and inspire.
TikTok identified Brand Chem, or the balance of listening, adapting, and transforming, as a movement that reshapings how the industry thinks about ‘marketing’ and the future of business growth
“This approach builds networks that inspire deeper understanding and unlock new levels of trust and creativity, driving cultural relevance in ways that matter to both your communities and your business.”
As the platform moves into 2025, TikTok aims to give users and brands guidance on becoming culturally resonant by “giving creators and communities greater creative ownership”.
“We’ll teach you how to unlock richer insights, uncover stronger truths, and provide faster paths to connection and chemistry.”
“In 2024, we saw brands push creative limits, lean into trends, and connect with their communities in powerful ways, but 2025 is set to take it even further,” said Sofia Hernandez, global head of business marketing for TikTok.
“The creative storytelling opportunities on TikTok are endless, and this year, brands and creators will come together to continue to shape culture, spark fresh ideas, and accelerate business growth by tapping directly into what matters to the TikTok community”
TikTok’s report centres on the most impactful and sustainable trends, or Trend Signals, that reflect evolving content patterns that highlight emerging behaviours and interests which brands can tap into to shape a forward-looking content strategy under three key groups: brand fusion, identity osmosis and creative catalysts.
Brand Fusion
Brand Fusion highlights how brands can stay agile, evolve with consumer expectations, and forge deeper connections.
Nielsen’s Ameneh Atai, general manager, audience measurement, said in the report: “More nuance and inclusivity isnʼt just for content. Getting representation right, means getting connection right, and it applies to brands too. Brands who want to build lasting bonds with their consumers need to bridge the gap between representation and connection in advertising.”
Creator squad
The report noted that as communities seek trusted voices, more people are becoming creators, from quiet reviewers to quirky characters. “It’s not about the loudest voice, but increasing the number of creators, sometimes even by 50%—to drive impact at scale.”
TikTok said having a wider pool of creators for a brand builds relevance across niches and highlighted its solution, the TikTok One Creator Marketplace, which can help a marketer find a creator to make ads quickly at scale, or an in-depth collab.
Trust fund
Brands can grow trust and community through street interviews, behind-the-scenes moments, or shared insights, according to TikTok’s trend report. The platform noted that the interactive approach shifts from one-way communication to a strategy where audiences feel heard and valued, offering valuable insights for deeper connections.
TikTok noted that content that sparks conversations with consumers build genuine trust and that 39% Of TikTok users feel that brands that showcase their personality through content are more relevant to them.
Constant confidant
TikTok noted that audiences are wary of brands only coming to them when they have something to sell and instead pay attention to the brands that are always there for them.
Consumers expect brands to act as consistent partners, investing in shared growth. Brands are connecting with supportive and joyful messaging to create year-round soft-sell moments.
The report found that 45% Of social/video platform users say a brand becomes relevant to them when it demonstrates an understanding of their needs. The TikTok’s Partner Connect platform, marketers can connect with vetted production partners — making it easier to generate a high volume of great content.
Identity Osmosis
The platform defined identity osmosis as brands are organically integrating evolving consumer values, allowing these shifting ideals to reshape their identity.
Trending signals include niche perspectives, brands adapting to include female inclusivity, and redefining traditional life stage marketing with more intimate personal goals.
Brands are also changing how they are showing up for their communities on TikTok, engaging with users directly in the comments and responding to feedback from loyal fans.
By adapting to new trends and leaning into these authentic perspectives, brands are able to connect on a deeper level with their communities, expanding reach and value. This open, empathetic exchange between brands, creators, and community is supported by features like TikTok Symphony Dubbing, which enables global brand communication in native languages, enhancing accessibility and emotional resonance.
According to TikTok’s internal research, 81% of users say TikTok has introduced them to new topics and trends they didn’t know they liked (4), building a globally connected, engaged community.
While Identity Osmosis focuses on authentic alignment with consumer values, Creative Catalysts emphasise the tools and techniques brands can use to amplify their storytelling.
Creative Catalysts
TikTok calls this trend the untapped tools for marketers to ideate, build, learn, and take more exciting creative risks than ever before.
The platform noted that AI was once met with scepticism, but is now a source of excitement on TikTok, where users and brands explore its potential in everyday tasks like styling outfits, visualising renovations, or writing scripts with Symphony Assistant.
TikTok users are 1.4X more likely than users on other platforms to look forward to Generative AI in ads, highlighting this growing enthusiasm. With Symphony Assistant, brands can leverage real-time data on trending content and transform it into creative, ready-to-film concepts, making AI an integral part of TikTok’s vibrant, discovery-driven community.
The platform noted that as content demand rises, brands are shifting from short-lived marketing assets to multifaceted storytelling strategies. With the decline of traditional seasons and on-demand shopping trends like #summerween, brands can experiment with various messages and formats without audience fatigue.
Formats such as Image Ads allow brands to quickly hop into trends and tell new stories by shaking up the format. This approach aligns with TikTok’s user base, where 76% of TikTok users enjoy seeing a mix of images and video, enabling brands to maintain relevance and continuously engage audiences. Real-time feedback in TikTok’s comment sections further enhances this strategy, allowing brands to innovate alongside consumers—with 68% of users saying brands should leverage comments to better understand their audience.
Tools like Insights Spotlight allow brands to tap into micro-trends, fostering collaboration and trust by turning users into active participants in product development and storytelling. Meanwhile, the comment section is also becoming a new engine for commerce.