TikTok and Candle Media to Co-Develop New Branded Entertainment and Content

Robert Carnevale
·2 min read

TikTok and Candle Media have entered a strategic partnership wherein Candle Media’s business units will create custom creator-focused opportunities for the TikTok platform’s users.

Chiefly, Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine (which Candle Media acquired in 2021) will help elevate underrepresented indie authors of the #BookTok community. Authors will be able to support the development of film, TV, and audio projects.

“TikTok continues to experience explosive growth and has become a critical platform for storytelling and marketing,” said Kevin Mayer & Tom Staggs, Candle Media’s co-founders and co-CEOs. “We are thrilled to work with the TikTok team to create compelling branded content, and for Hello Sunshine to shine a light on the thriving #BookTok community, which is home to a new generation of storytellers.”

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The #BookTok community is a large one in the overall TikTok ecosystem, with the tag and its associated content having racked up over 147 billion views so far. Many indie authors use it as a tool to build their brands.

“We are thrilled to work with TikTok and the #BookTok community to expand our LitUp initiative, where we will work together to continue identifying, elevating and amplifying underrepresented storytellers and bring their stories to life,” said Witherspoon.

As part of this new partnership, TikTok will sponsor Hello Sunshine’s aforementioned LitUp Writer Fellowship Program, which provides funding, marketing and mentorship for underrepresented women storytellers.

“We are always looking for new ways to support the success and growth of our creator community, both on and off-platform,” said Nicole Iacopetti, TikTok’s global head of content. “We are delighted to partner with Candle Media, and their business units including Hello Sunshine, which has a proud commitment and proven track record of elevating women’s voices and amplifying their stories. We look forward to the future of this program and these powerful new storytellers.”

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