In a television commercial, Sister Monica Clare, a nun in northern New Jersey, walks through a church bathed in sunlight, sits in a pew and crosses herself. Her message: TikTok is a force for good.
“Thanks to TikTok, I have created a community where people can feel safe asking questions about spirituality,” he says in the announcement.
Sister Monica Clare is one of several American TikTok fans — along with rancheros, a US Navy veteran, and entrepreneurs — whom the company is spotlighting in commercials while facing intense scrutiny in Washington.
““TikTok definitely has a brand problem in the United States”said Sister Monica Clare, 58. “Most people you talk to, particularly people over 60, will say that TikTok is just a bunch of superficial garbage.”
TikTok has launched a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign on television and rival social platforms across the United States — tagged #KeepTikTok — as the US Senate considers a bill that would force the company's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the app. or face a national veto. Many lawmakers from both parties have said the app could endanger American users' private data or be used as a Chinese propaganda tool.
Since the US House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill last month, The company has spent at least $3.1 million on advertising time for commercials that are scheduled to air throughout Aprilshow data from AdImpact, a media monitoring firm.
“We believe the general public should know that the government is attempting to trample on the free speech rights of 170 million Americans,” said Michael Hughes, a spokesman.
TikTok is trying to reshape the perception of the company. It has said it has not and will not share data with Beijing nor will it allow any government to influence its algorithmic video recommendations.
“TikTok is being portrayed as a brand that represents the freedom and democratization of communication,” said Cait Lamberton, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
One of TikTok's newest TV ads was filmed last month when it brought dozens of creators to Washington to protest the House bill. The ad is narrated by the creators and shows some holding signs that say: “TikTok changed my life for the better.”on the steps of the Capitol.
Sister Monica Clare was thrilled when her commercial began airing, she said, but she soon received hate mail.
“It really came from people wedded to the idea that China is spying on us through TikTok, from people who probably never used social media in their lives,” he said.
He added that he was hopeful that TikTok's efforts, including the ad, would help send a different message about the app. (The company made a $500 donation to his convent for his participation, he said.)
“There is a huge community of people doing good on TikTok”said Sister Monica Clare.
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