How Cetaphil is preparing for a TikTok interruption or ban

TikTok’s potential U.S. ban is already affecting how brands plan media buys and their social commerce spending with some advertisers having preemptively shifted ad dollars to other platforms, according to new data from e-commerce platform MikMak. Meanwhile, some brands, including Cetaphil, recalibrated their social media operations ahead of any possible changes to the app ecosystem. “Over the past six months, we’ve been preparing for shifts in the platform landscape, leaning further into Meta and YouTube,” Tara Loftis, global president of skincare at Galderma and global head of Cetaphil, told Ad Age this week. The latest: TikTok ban law upheld by the Supreme Court Cetaphil underwent a rebrand last year and has had a robust social media and e-commerce strategy, including on TikTok, where it has experimented with TikTok Shop, among other activities. The brand is just one of many considering what a TikTok ban would do to its media plan—while it would mean a break from the app in the U.S., Cetaphil would still use TikTok to reach its global audience, Loftis said. Also read: Social media managers respond to TikTok drama The TikTok issue has become more pressing as the countdown to possible closure ticks. This week, marketers at major ad agencies braced for the potential that they would have to pause advertising on TikTok, with Sunday marked as the day it could “go dark.” Creators have been rushing to other apps including another China-based one, Xiaohongshu, which translates to “Little Red Book” and is known as RedNote in the U.S. RedNote has been a popular app among Chinese users since 2013, and brands with a global presence, including Cetaphil and Duolingo, were already there as part of their normal course of marketing to China. This week, Cetaphil posted to RedNote in English to welcome all the new users coming from the U.S. (Cetaphil’s parent company, Galderma, is based in Zug, Switzerland.) NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today Tracking the ad spending Meanwhile, new MikMak data show that money has started to move from TikTok to YouTube and Pinterest. Even if TikTok were to get an extension under U.S. law, the brand realignment could last, according to Rachel Tipograph, MikMak’s CEO. “If the TikTok ban were to be delayed, MikMak predicts that partial brand advertising investment will shift back to TikTok but not all of it,” Tipograph told Ad Age. “Brands will remain skittish to invest in TikTok until they know with confidence it’s safe to invest.” Last year, President Joe Biden signed a law that would force TikTok’s China-based owner ByteDance to divest from the app or it would get blocked in the U.S. There are hopeful rays that TikTok could get a pass and keep operating. On Thursday, there were reports President-elect Donald Trump could consider giving TikTok an extension to keep running. However, last week, TikTok’s attorney argued in the appeal before the Supreme Court that it would be forced to shutter on Jan. 19 because of the language of the law and the fact that Trump wouldn’t assume the presidency until Jan. 20. MikMak can track about $3 billion in advertising flows annually across Meta, Google, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat and other digital platforms. MikMak detected that, in the first two weeks of January, advertising on its platform was gravitating more heavily toward Google search, YouTube and Pinterest, while decreasing on TikTok and Meta. Meta captured 52% of brands’ advertising traffic in the fourth quarter of 2024, but its share declined 10.5% during the first two weeks of January, according to MikMak data; TikTok captured 13% of paid media in the fourth quarter, but its share has decreased 20% during the first two weeks of January; Google search captured 15% of paid media in the fourth quarter and was up 32% during the same January period. Pinterest and YouTube were each up 68% in January, although they represent smaller pieces of MikMak’s paid media pie. More from Ad Age: Ad tech executives predict 2025 trends As for Cetaphil, Loftis said the brand has explored more platforms in recent months, including YouTube and Meta, which includes Threads, a rival to Elon Musk’s X app. “Meta’s ecosystem—Facebook, Instagram and Threads—has done a great job pulling creators from TikTok with meaningful incentives and growth opportunities,” Loftis told Ad Age by email. “Meanwhile, YouTube is positioning itself as the go-to platform for Gen Alpha, blending short-form and long-form content into a discovery-driven ecosystem that keeps people engaged and creators thriving.” Below, more from Loftis on how Cetaphil is handling the social media maelstrom.Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Are recently popular apps such as RedNote enticing to brands? Absolutely. RedNote (or Xiaohongshu in China) has enormous potential to attract both creators and consumers for content consumption. In China, it’s already a key part of beauty and lifestyle marketing strategies. However, it currently lacks the infrastructure to support social commerce in the U.S. If the platform continues to grow, we anticipate it will follow a similar trajectory to TikTok and develop these capabilities over time. Meanwhile, platforms already leveraging social commerce—like YouTube and Pinterest—are better positioned in the U.S. to benefit from higher conversion rates. Even Amazon is evolving rapidly, integrating more “social-like” features and enhancing its search capabilities to drive user engagement. Read about RedNote and other likely TikTok alternatives Our presence on RedNote in China has given us valuable insights, and the Chinese team has been incredibly supportive as the U.S. team evaluates its broader applications. We’re exploring how RedNote can fit into our long-term strategy while remaining focused on platforms like YouTube, Meta and Pinterest for immediate growth opportunities. RedNote is the leading lifestyle social media platform in China and a key channel for our brand communication. In 2024, we had 4,300 posts on the platform, generating over 115 million views. Our “Big White Jar” [BWJ] moisturizing cream has consistently maintained the No. 1 share of voice in its category and we plan to continue significant investment in RedNote for 2025, with an estimated 1,000 posts targeted in the first quarter alone. TikTok users’ growing presence on RedNote has been a hot topic in China, and to welcome these new users and showcase our brand we launched our first English post this week, introducing BWJ. The post garnered over 700 likes within a day, with very positive feedback. Are there any social commerce app startups that seem promising? Yes, Neptune stands out for its innovative approach to social commerce. It replicates TikTok’s discovery-driven “For You Page” model while layering in advanced shopping tools, creating an exciting opportunity for brands to connect authentically with consumers. While no single app has emerged as a dominant leader yet, startups like Neptune demonstrate the potential for innovation in this space. We’re actively exploring platforms like these. If TikTok were unavailable in the U.S., would you explore other platforms or continue focusing on TikTok for a global audience? If TikTok were no longer available in the U.S. we’d absolutely maintain a global presence on the platform to engage international audiences. Domestically, we’d focus on YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, which have already proved effective for connecting with similar audiences. At the same time, we’d work closely with our creator partners to help them navigate the shift, ensuring their communities—and the authentic connections they’ve built—are preserved. Adaptability is key in this ever-changing landscape, and we’re ready to pivot and thrive no matter what happens. What happens if TikTok suffers a disruption in service, as could be the case come Sunday, even if it’s only temporary? Even if TikTok were to disappear and re-emerge, I suspect it would evolve into something more commerce- and entertainment-focused, aligning even better with brand needs. Ad Age Tech Power List 2025 We’re looking for top digital innovators from agencies, brands, platforms, ad tech companies and tech startups Enter here

How Cetaphil is preparing for a TikTok interruption or ban

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