At a recent marketing conference, Rema Vasan shared how she is positioning TikTok as a platform that delivers both cultural impact and measurable business results.
As head of business marketing for TikTok in North America, Vasan’s mission is to show that TikTok is not only a hub for trends but also a platform that drives real performance outcomes.
She identifies three key themes shaping the industry: the integration of brand and performance, the importance of communicating marketing in business metrics rather than marketing jargon, and the role of AI in enhancing—not replacing—creativity.
“Brand and performance aren’t separate,” Vasan explains. “Marketing both generates and captures demand—it’s a single, unified funnel. Marketers also need to show impact in business terms, and AI should complement human creativity rather than replace it.”
These principles are central to TikTok’s own evolution from cultural spark to commercial engine.
Vasan describes herself as a “marketer’s marketer,” focusing on educating CMOs, media directors, and agencies on turning TikTok’s cultural energy into measurable results. “When we market TikTok to marketers, we do it TikTok-first,” she says. “We bring the same creativity, authenticity, and playfulness that we advise brands to use.”
This TikTok-first approach—creating content that blends naturally into the feed—underpins the platform’s B2B storytelling. Vasan’s team emphasizes playful activations, community-driven narratives, and educational initiatives over traditional sales pitches. “Our goal is to help marketers connect culture to commerce,” she explains.
Vasan also addresses a common misconception: TikTok is not just an upper-funnel awareness tool. “Brands like Ulta, Ray-Ban, and Skittles are seeing measurable results when they adopt a TikTok-first approach,” she notes.
Automation and AI tools like Smart+ and Symphony optimize targeting, creative, and frequency, helping marketers maximize ROI. “TikTok isn’t about vanity metrics—it’s about value,” Vasan says.
Her perspective highlights a core principle: B2B marketing is really B2H—business to human. “Every business is made up of people. Know your audience, tell a compelling story, and show up where they are,” she says. Even small businesses, such as local dealerships turning their sales teams into TikTok creators, demonstrate that the approach scales across size and sector.
TikTok is also evolving as a discovery platform. One in four users searches within 30 seconds of opening the app, with searches growing 40% year-on-year. “Discovery on TikTok isn’t just about finding answers—it’s about authentic, first-person experiences. That’s a huge performance opportunity for brands,” Vasan explains.
The platform is quietly becoming a commerce engine as well as a cultural hub, with TikTok Shop and evolving search behaviors blurring the line between inspiration and transaction.
AI, Vasan emphasizes, will enhance creativity but never replace it. “AI can scale and speed up creative work, but the ideas still come from humans.”
Ultimately, her focus remains consistent: demonstrating that TikTok can be both the world’s most creative and most commercially credible platform. “Culture drives conversion, and we’re showing the industry the proof.”
