TikTok has launched its #ThisIsBlack  in-app and OOH brand campaign as part of its Black History Month calendar of activity to celebrate Black heritage and culture in the UK.

#ThisIsBlack will be brought to life through a series of panels and educational content ranging from food, comedy and music, featuring including DJ and filmmaker @djkrystallake; food and flavour enthusiast @thegrubworkskitchen; activist and Black history educator @kaynekawasaki; and LGBTQIA+ activist @Benjy_Lookbook among others.

The OOH ads will be seen at iconic spots across the UK, including the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, Peckham High Street in London and Castle Street in Cardiff and prominent placements across over 200 sites in the UK. The campaign will also incluude a series of in-app activations such as Hashtag Challenges, Branded Effects, TikTok LIVEs and TopView ad takeovers. Social ads will appear on other platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

TikTok said that #ThisIsBlack will celebrate everything that makes the platform what it is today, including the communitys love of good music and good food. Through the month long initiative TikTok will be spotlighting trailblazing creators, stories, art, music, literature and food, and providing educational resources in-app to encourage everyone to be a better ally to the Black community.

Chef Ainsley Harriott will be sharing his #GoodMoodFood recipes, while Black artists including Nile Rodgers and Darkoo will be performing LIVE to share their music with the TikTok community.

Commenting on the campaign, Trevor Johnson, Head of Marketing, Global Business Solutions for Europe said: “We believe that TikTok is becoming one of the leading destinations providing users with a window into the Black Lives Matter movement. Every day, our community of 1 billion people across the globe is leveraging the platform to tell their stories in a creative way. This Black History Month, we are incredibly proud to continue supporting our Black community by providing a platform for representation in all areas of culture and enabling important conversations to be had. #ThisIsBlack is a unique employee-led campaign that we hope can inspire us to move as a collective towards a more equal society.”

As well as being a joyful and authentic celebration of Black culture, #ThisIsBlack also aims to provide a learning opportunity. For everyone at TikTok, Black History Month is also seen as a chance to educate TikTok users on microaggressions and racism. The first TikTok Unpacks LIVE will focus on microaggressions and will be headed by two Black creators, LGBTQIA+ activist @Benjy_Lookbook and diversity and inclusion campaigner @Bellewoghirenn.

“Being included in the #ThisIsBlack campaign was humbling,” said UK British History Creator, Kanye Kawasaki. “I joined Tiktok last Black History Month, so it’s crazy to think what can happen within a year! Especially because I didn’t think my content mattered. To me, Tiktok was the place for Gen Z and Viral Tiktok dances, I didn’t expect to find an audience intrigued about UK Black History and Cultural Commentary, but I did!

“To me, UK Black History Month is a time to highlight and celebrate the achievements of Black British trailblazers. Growing up, in school, I was taught US Black History such as Martin Luther King, the Jim Crow Laws and US Slavery. Now, my hope moving forward is that the next generation are also taught about our own trailblazers – if not, I hope they find my videos! I intend to talk about UK Black History until it’s seen as British History; not restricted to one month but as a staple.”