TikTok Out of Phone Expansion Goes Global: What It Means for Brands
TikTok is rapidly extending its advertising reach beyond the traditional smartphone screen. The TikTok Out of Phone expansion—a strategic move that brings short-form video content to high-visibility physical spaces—is now available across a broader range of platforms, creating new opportunities for brand exposure.
Initially launched last year, TikTok’s “Out of Phone” solution aims to transform how users and passersby engage with TikTok content in public. The latest update significantly widens the initiative’s scope, expanding placements across digital billboards, cinemas, airports, retail spaces, and gyms.
According to TikTok, this rollout is designed to help brands amplify their video campaigns across a diverse mix of premium display environments.
“We’re making it easier for advertisers to repurpose their in-app campaigns into high-impact moments in the physical world,” TikTok stated in the official update.
TikTok Content Now Visible in Cinemas, Airports, and More
With the expanded rollout, TikTok’s Out of Phone initiative now includes the following surfaces:
- Billboards and urban signage via Adomni, which manages digital displays across multiple urban areas
- Cinemas, through a new partnership with Screenvision
- Airports, gas stations, and retail stores through deals with GSTV, Redbox, and others
- Gyms and health clubs via Zoom Media
All of these partners have integrated with TikTok to feature its best-performing video content, creator collaborations, and select ads. These partnerships enable marketers to project their TikTok campaigns beyond mobile, making brand storytelling more impactful and omnipresent.
Why This TikTok Out of Phone Expansion Matters
TikTok’s rise as a content discovery and entertainment platform is well established. However, this strategic expansion into Out of Home (OOH) advertising shows the company is keen on playing a more dominant role in the cross-channel advertising ecosystem.
The move allows TikTok to capitalize on:
- Increased foot traffic in public venues
- Rising demand for immersive video content
- Marketers’ growing preference for cross-platform campaigns
By aligning in-app video content with out-of-home exposure, TikTok offers a multi-screen storytelling experience that can boost both awareness and recall.
Integrating TikTok Ads Beyond Mobile Screens
Brands that have already invested in TikTok ads now have a new path to maximize ROI. With minimal adjustments, existing short-form content can be reformatted for digital screens in physical environments. This minimizes production costs while increasing impressions across varied audience segments.
For example, a TikTok campaign featuring a viral dance challenge can now play in movie theaters or on fitness center screens, targeting consumers in a different context yet reinforcing the same brand message.
This alignment supports multi-sensory engagement, enhancing the emotional connection between viewers and branded content.
The Creators’ Role in Out of Phone Advertising
Creators remain central to TikTok’s strategy. Even in physical formats, TikTok plans to feature creator-led content that resonates across its digital network. Whether it’s a beauty influencer’s tutorial playing at a shopping mall or a travel creator’s reel showing at an airport terminal, the goal is to keep TikTok content authentic, creative, and adaptable.
For creators, this expansion means more exposure opportunities and potential brand deals that stretch beyond mobile.
A Strategic Step Toward Omnichannel Dominance
This Out of Phone expansion complements TikTok’s other global initiatives aimed at extending its content beyond the core app. TikTok has already experimented with:
- Connected TV (CTV) partnerships
- A Live TV content hub for entertainment integrations
- The TikTok Creative Challenge designed to help advertisers crowdsource campaign material from users
Now, the platform is blending OOH media with user-generated content to offer advertisers a seamless brand journey from screen to street.
Competitive Implications: TikTok vs YouTube and Meta
TikTok’s latest move puts it in more direct competition with YouTube, which has also expanded into CTV and digital signage, and Meta, which continues to push branded content through Reels and in-stream placements.
However, TikTok’s advantage lies in its creator-driven ecosystem, where short-form videos thrive due to cultural relevance and trend-driven virality. Extending that influence to physical spaces could give it a strong edge.
Marketers looking to diversify media spend may now consider TikTok’s Out of Phone expansion as a core part of their omnichannel strategy.
What Marketers Should Know Before Investing
If you’re planning to use TikTok’s expanded OOH inventory, consider the following tips:
- Ensure visual clarity. Digital billboards and cinema screens require high-resolution, bold visuals.
- Use vertical-friendly formatting. While most screens now support multiple formats, vertical videos remain the norm for TikTok content.
- Repurpose smartly. Choose content that already performs well in-app to avoid unnecessary editing costs.
- Think contextually. A travel ad might perform better in an airport than in a gas station.
TikTok Out of Phone Expansion: The Future of Immersive Marketing?
As TikTok continues to experiment with ways to bridge online content with real-world experiences, its Out of Phone expansion signals a clear intention to become more than a mobile app. It aims to be a cultural force that shapes user behavior across every screen and surface.
Whether you’re a small business or a global brand, understanding how to navigate this emerging ad format will be crucial in staying competitive and relevant.
