Microsoft 365: first brand to launch a Community Effect on TikTok organically

Microsoft’s 365 are the first brand to launch a community effect on TikTok organically.

The effects were built by VMLY&R’s AR Creative Department and will tap into an engaged audience of lens users, hungry for new ways to express themselves.

The idea originated in December when VMLY&R AR expert at VMLY&R, Luke Hurd, heard from an inside source that TikTok is launching a publishing platform called EffectHouse. It is similar to Instagram’s where brands can publish filters organically – no media buy required – directly to their profile. Brands will now get a tab on their profile, similar to Instagram, where all filters will live (screenshot below for reference). The team quickly got to work concepting 6 lenses and narrowing to 2 to start.

Effects provide great engagement on TikTok, but brands rarely use them. The team has been using a third-party eyes-mouth filter to bring our app icons to life and TikTokers are loving it. That inspired to seize this new platform technology, and make an effect that allows everyone to achieve that seamlessly. With this effect, creators can cycle through app icons that map to their face, and deliver funny, relatable content as if they were personifying PowerPoint, Excel, OneDrive, Word, Outlook, or Teams. They can move around, emote, and even add their own custom background via green screen to create their masterpiece.

Stay tuned as Microsoft will continue to launch new videos for the coming months.

Check out the first video using the effect here.