TikTok’s Trojan Horse Strategy

TikTok’s Trojan Horse Strategy

Published: October 22, 2025

Duration: 25:03

When TikTok videos started to go viral on Instagram and Reddit, TikTok turned to professional sound designers to protect their content.

More and more companies are paying to develop a “sonic identity” – a series of sounds, songs, and micro-jingles to help maintain a unified brand.

In this episode, in conjunction with the sound design podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz, we hear the backstory to possibly the most successful audio branding campaigns in history. It’s a tale of guerilla marketing and the power of sonic suggestion.

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TikTok’s Trojan Horse Strategy - Planet Money