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SG Enable’s public education initiative, “i’mable,” aims to amplify the sense of self-worth for persons with disabilities and encourage an inclusive society. Partnering with TBWA, we created a campaign to inspire people to take the first step in getting to know persons with disabilities. The campaign, focused on the idea of “UnAwkwarding” interactions, encourages everyone to share their personal experiences and normalize moments of self-consciousness or awkwardness. We chose TikTok for its straightforward, engaging platform, ideal for driving disruptive conversations and increasing online pledges to “UnAwkward” themselves through various small actions.
Congratulations on winning a TikTok Advertising Award! Can you share the inspiration behind your winning campaign and what made you choose TikTok as the platform for it?
SG Enable’s public education initiative, i’mable, seeks to amplify the sense of self and self-worth for persons with disabilities and have everyone affirm their commitment to build a more inclusive society. “i’m able” is every individual’s personal affirmation of willingness and confidence to make a difference. For i’mable, we teamed up with TBWA to design a campaign to get more people to take the first step in getting to know persons with disabilities. We hope more Singaporeans open up to participating in positive conversations with and about Singaporeans with disabilities. We set out to achieve this by turning the tables on conventional ideas of “abled” and disabled” roles. The campaign centred around the idea of getting people to “UnAwkward” themselves, to encourage persons with and without disabilities to share their personal experiences and normalise moments of self-consciousness or awkwardness when we are not quite sure how to behave around persons with disabilities or interact with them. We chose TikTok as a channel because it is the ultimate, no frills, say-it-like-it-is platform, which makes it great for engaging people and driving disruptive conversations, thereby increasing i’mable’s online pledges for the public to “UnAwkward” themselves in various small actions.
What were the key elements and strategies that you believe contributed to the success of your campaign on TikTok?
Authentic interactions, real questions, humour, TikTok natives, catchy music & memes.
How did you ensure that your campaign remained authentic and resonated with the TikTok community?
Our TikTok campaign, Frequently Awkward Questions, was a way for us to leverage the platform to facilitate positive and meaningful conversations people had about disabilities in Singapore. We kept it as natural and real as possible. All the questions were the most frequently asked awkward questions from TikTok and the internet. None of the responses were planned, they were all off the cuff. Our hosts were persons with disabilities, not trained actors.
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Can you discuss any challenges you faced during the creation and execution of your campaign and how you overcame them?
As expected, people were initially awkward when asked if they’d like to ask our talents with disabilities a question. But the warmth and humour of our hosts won them over very quickly.
In what ways did this campaign impact your brand’s visibility and engagement with your target audience? Can you share any specific metrics or results?
“Frequently Awkward Questions” reached over 2-million TikTok users, with 22.9 million views and 270k engagements. Below, more metric insights:
What advice would you give to other brands looking to leverage TikTok for their advertising efforts?
Keep it real and keep it fun!
Emily Ong’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in driving the success of SG Enable’s “i’mable” campaign. By leveraging the power of TikTok and focusing on authenticity and inclusivity, she has created a platform for meaningful conversations and positive change. The campaign’s impact on SG Enable’s visibility and engagement highlights the potential of social media to amplify important messages and foster a more inclusive society. As Emily continues to advocate for persons with disabilities, her work serves as an inspiration for brands looking to create authentic and impactful advertising campaigns.
