Marketing

Sofia Barberio

TikTok Marketing Strategies: How Beauty Brands Use Trends to Increase Engagement and Influence Consumer Decisions

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I am a fourth-year Communication student at Toronto Metropolitan University with a focus on digital media and marketing. My work explores how emerging platforms, particularly TikTok, are reshaping brand communication strategies and audience engagement. I am especially interested in social media marketing, branding, and how digital culture influences the way brands connect with consumers.

This research examines how beauty brands use TikTok trends, memes, and trending audio as marketing communication strategies. Through a qualitative content analysis of posts from brands such as e.l.f. Cosmetics, NYX Cosmetics, and Charlotte Tilbury, the study identifies key patterns in how brands create engaging and relatable content. Findings show that humour, trending audio, and short-form video styles are the most effective strategies for increasing audience engagement, while traditional product-focused advertising performs less effectively. This research highlights how TikTok is reshaping digital marketing by prioritizing authenticity, entertainment, and cultural relevance.

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A well-lit, frontal studio portrait of a young woman with medium skin tone, long dark wavy hair parted centrally, and warm brown eyes. She displays a broad, genuine smile, showing her white teeth. She is wearing a black off-the-shoulder top and a delicate gold chain with a small round pendant. The background is a soft, out-of-focus light grey.

Martina Plati

Who Belongs in the “Creative” Economy? Class, Belonging, and Access in Membership Co-working Spaces
A close-up headshot of a young man with warm medium-brown skin, dark brown curly hair, and dark brown eyes, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. He is wearing a white collared shirt and a dark navy suit jacket, set against a plain light grey background.

Parteek Kler

Weaponized Aesthetics: The Algorithmic Pipeline and Reality of Looksmaxxing
A light-skinned young man with a warm, friendly smile looks directly at the camera in a close-up portrait. He has medium-length dark brown hair, amber eyes, and a neat dark goatee. He is wearing a dark blue collared shirt under a ribbed dark blue knit zip-up sweater with a gold zipper and subtle lighter grey striped details. The background is a smooth, light grey.

Carter Thomas

Behind the Gear: Occupational Factors Affecting Miscarriage Rates in Female Firefighters
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