Nestlé’s coffee machine unit, Nespresso, is leveraging TikTok to amplify its annual vertical short film contest, Nespresso Talents.

For this year’s competition, the theme is ‘Doing is everything’. And Nespresso wants to see the TikTok community show off their creativity and interpret this theme through the #NespressoTalents branded hashtag challenge, which is running alongside the main competition.

“Storytelling is part of our brand DNA. We understand the power of immersing an audience into a story and believe that there is no greater medium for storytelling than film. And as a lifestyle brand, we focus on this territory because the uniqueness and prestige of many film events are a natural fit for our premium positioning,” said Anna Lundstrom, Chief Brand Officer at Nespresso. “Working together with the team at TikTok presents a unique opportunity to engage a wider audience, showcasing innovation and a more disruptive spirit, in a way that is authentic and engaging.”

Nespresso Talents, now in its sixth year, calls on creators to submit two- to three-minute vertical short films around a theme. Entrants to the official competition have the chance to win exclusive trips to major film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, this year to see their film shown. The winners will also benefit from mentoring sessions with film experts and a share of €50,000.

To further boost the TikTok campaign, Nespresso is running a premium TopView placement in the UK today, meaning it will be the first video everyone sees when they open up the app. There will also be in-feed placements over the next few days.

Nespresso is also working with creators including photographer and creative director Mike Queyen (@QMike), London-based photographer @thevisuallife, photographer and videographer @kymagination, singer-songwriter and film director Onyi Moss (@mossonyi), UK mental health ambassador @dralexgeorge, fitness influencer @steph_elswood, and foodie/ASMR specialist Sam Way (@Samseats).

“TikTok can be a highly effective part of a broader campaign by brands to tell stories to an audience not found on other platforms, and this use of the platform and a branded hashtag challenge by Nespresso is the perfect demonstration of that,” said Niusha Koucheksarai, Head of Brand Partnerships, Global Business Solutions, UK at TikTok. “Our community cares deeply about sustainability, and they are some of the most creative people you can find. As Nespresso searches for new types of filmmakers to enter its global competition, I have no doubt well see some incredible engagement and stories being told by our community in response.”