The TikTokification of Media Buying

Let’s get something straight:

The algorithm didn’t change. Your audience did.

TikTok, Instagram Reels, even YouTube Shorts… they rewired your customer’s attention span.

Not just to be shorter (we’ve known that), but to crave content that feels:

• Real, not rehearsed

• Messy, not manicured

• Raw, not right

And yet most media buyers are still pushing creative that looks like it was made in a sterile agency lab under fluorescent lighting.

But if your ad looks like an ad, it dies like one.

Why “Bad” Content Wins Now

The best-performing ads we’ve seen in the last 6 months have one thing in common:

Not a team. Not a brand strategist. Not a $15k/month retainer.

And that’s what makes them powerful.

They feel personal. Not in the “Hi ” way—

But in the “this person gets me” way.

Here’s What This Means for You

✅ Stop chasing polish. It makes you look corporate, not credible.
✅ Start casting characters. Who delivers the message > how it’s delivered.
✅ Embrace imperfection. Stutters, sarcasm, slang, lighting that sucks—it all signals “real.”

This is TikTokification:

It’s not just short-form. It’s shortform with soul.

And it’s not just for Gen Z. It’s training every demographic to crave realness over branding.

Quick Wins You Can Steal Today:

• Run UGC-style ads without UGC creators (use your team or customers instead)

• Let your CEO riff for 30 seconds on a soapbox instead of using a script

• Test a janky-looking version of your best-performing ad (shaky cam, jump cuts, zero captions)

• Steal trending video structures and apply them to your product or pitch

The goal is no longer to look professional—it’s to feel familiar.

— Peter

Want help unlearning the agency polish and getting scrappy with creative that actually converts? Let’s talk.