How TikTok is disrupting business marketing in Kenya

  An evolved marketing playbook through TikTok 

Last week, I was scrolling mindlessly through TikTok when I came across a complaint video done by a popular Kenyan creator on the platform.

Like wildfire, the complaint video gained traction on the platform, creating an existential crisis for the brand she was criticizing.

Kelvin Lukase, who spends most of his time watching TikTok, comically explains to The Star the buzz around this scandal.

According to the popular content creator, the company had sent threats to her mother following her previous complaint about the small-sized biscuits the company now produces.

“These threats were a form of intimidation with the intention of silencing the creator. I don’t know what made them think that was the best strategy,” Lukase said.

The threats made to the creator only increased the virality of her original complaint video.

Interest piqued, and people who had not even seen the original video became more invested in the fiasco.

What started as a simple product critique quickly spiraled into a nationwide conversation.

In the thick of the online uproar, other businesses capitalized on the bad publicity as a marketing strategy.

One company jumped into the trending comment sections, distancing themselves from the brand under fire and cleverly promoting their own.

"One of the businesses that saw this opportunity ran with it. In the comment section of one of the videos critiquing the brand, they commented things like ‘We would never’ and ‘our packs are full to the max - hatuleti mchezo kwa kazi’. Their hilarious comments even made me buy some of their snack," Lukase said.

The strategic use of humor and timeliness helped this business gain traction.

This shift from passive observation to active brand loyalty shows how quickly opinions, and purchases, can change in the TikTok era.

Just like Kelvin Lukase, Joyce Nyambura is chronically online, especially on TikTok.

Being a foodie, Nyambura heavily relies on recommendations from TikTok for her food ventures.

Before TikTok became popular, her options were limited to word-of-mouth from friends and family. This wasn’t always reliable, and she often ended up disappointed.

"Before TikTok was a popular platform, I could only depend on recommendations from friends and family for good restaurants and food joints in town. This wasn’t always reliable and I would feel so wasted after spending both my time and money,” Nyambura said.

Through TikTok, she now has a wide array of restaurant options to explore.

The platform provides not just exposure to new eateries but also honest feedback from fellow Kenyans.

She finds the variety and the candidness of the reviews particularly useful.

"Since I’m naturally inquisitive, new and diverse restaurants and food joints being marketed on TikTok is the cherry on top in my pursuit of refining my palate. In addition, you can easily get reviews of the restaurant you want to visit. Kenyans having the habit of being brutal in the comments sections, you’re assured of a clear picture,” she said.

She even shared plans to try a new place soon, inspired by her current TV habits. Nyambura has been watching Chinese dramas lately and now has Chinese food on her bucket list.

This weekend, she intends to visit a restaurant in Nairobi’s Chinatown, hoping the experience will be worth the anticipation.

TikTok's popularity as a marketing platform is rapidly increasing, with more businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), adopting it to reach new audiences and boost their brand awareness.

Fredrick Ogutu, a jeweler in Nairobi, is one of those business owners who turned to TikTok after other marketing efforts stalled.

Initially, he relied solely on word-of-mouth referrals, but growth was painfully slow.

He eventually opened a TikTok page called Fashionable Bros, despite initial doubts about whether the platform could actually help small sellers.

"When I started my jewelry business, I got customers through referrals from my friends who had bought some pieces from me. Though I was grateful for these referrals, my customer base was growing at a snail’s pace. For 6 months I tried to thug it out, grinding every day trying to reach more of my target market. I however realized regrettably that this strategy was futile," Ogutu said.

After launching his TikTok page and posting consistently, things turned around dramatically. In just three months, his video engagement soared, and he saw a steady increase in customers.

"Before using TikTok to sell my jewelry, I usually had an average of 15 buyers per day. This number has currently tripled, having an average of 45 buyers per day on a normal day."

Speaking to The Star, Maureen Wanjohi also details how TikTok helped her stay afloat at a time when she was facing financial hurdles.

As a chef, she struggled to find employment and faced rejection after rejection, despite her qualifications.

Realizing she needed a different approach, she launched a TikTok page called Eats by Moh to showcase her cooking skills.

She started with basic kitchen content but quickly attracted clients for weekly meal plans.

Demand grew rapidly, leading her to hire three assistants to help with big events.

"A year ago, I had been on the brink of giving up. As a chef, I have always had a deep passion for my profession and being forced to basically beg for a job disheveled my mind... The following day, I started my TikTok page, Eats by Moh,” he said.

In the beginning, he posted videos of him cutting it up in the kitchen.

“These videos got me clients who invited me to cook their weekly meals. Within no time, the door opened for cooking in big events like weddings and graduations. I got overwhelmed with work to the point where I hired three assistants to help me reach my demand," he said.

Rodney Onsongo, a marketing consultant at Growthpad Consulting Group, believes that any Kenyan business wanting to grow its customer base should seriously consider TikTok.

According to Onsongo, TikTok offers unique advantages: a vast user base, high engagement levels, and viral potential, all without the need for large marketing budgets.

He encourages business owners to use whatever tools they have at their disposal to start creating and posting content. TikTok, he argues, rewards effort and creativity more than it does money.

"There are many reasons why TikTok should be the favorable platform for Kenyan businesses trying to market their products... As a business owner, you can use tools within your reach to market your products, a task that does not require a hefty sum of money."

Addressing the Kenyan businesses that are still stuck on traditional marketing methods, Onsongo doesn’t mince words. Businesses that fail to adapt, he warns, risk irrelevance.

"The business world is changing and businesses unwilling to adapt will become extinct."

He gave an example of a local business using humor and relatability to market their signage products through TikTok. Their witty responses to cringe-worthy posts made their content memorable and highly shareable, driving real curiosity and interest among potential buyers.

From food to fashion, events to entertainment, TikTok is no longer just a space for dancing and jokes.

For a growing number of Kenyan entrepreneurs, it’s becoming a vital tool for survival, branding, and community building.