It’s been a busy few days in U.S. politics, from Donald Trump’s tech-CEO-studded presidential inauguration, the declaration of a “border emergency,” and the revoking of federal DEI guidelines.
Amidst all this, America’s 47th POTUS found time to sign an executive order instructing the attorney general’s office to delay by 75 days enforcing aSupreme Court ruling that banned TikTok in the U.S. effective Jan 19.
When the deadline hit, TikTok went dark nationwide, revoking access to 170 million U.S. users and some of its biggest advertisers. However, within hours, the app was promptly turned back on.
If you think you’ve got whiplash, spare a thought for the social media managers who worked overtime this past weekend trying to make sense of the ban and update their followers.
Scroll down to see how brands reacted on TikTok to the Supreme Court’s flip-flop, using surreal humor, trending audio, and more to keep up with the conversation.
Bubble Skincare
Gen Z favorite Bubble Skincare, which has relied heavily on TikTok to build a community and compete with bigger, more established brands, initially directed followers toward its Instagram account when the ban briefly took effect.
On Sunday, it posted a jubilant comeback video when news broke that TikTok was back in business.
@bubble Just in case something happens to TikTok in the U.S. 👀 Let’s stay connected! Follow us on IG @bubble and YouTube @bubbleskincare. Let’s stay friends forever 🫶
@bubble Bye for now (maybe?) to our U.S. fam 💌 Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere—find us on Instagram @bubble and YouTube @bubbleskincare to stay in touch
@bubble phew, that was a rough 16 hours but we’re bacccck 🤗
Carnival
Last week, Carnival showed its crew flocking to TikTok alternative RedNote. It quickly reacted to the news of the reversal with a funny and awkward video using the ‘Hey, how ya’ll doin’?’ sound from Little Women of Atlanta.
@carnival See you all there?? 📸 @Kait Salmon
Chipotle
Chipotle took a trip through the archives, sharing a 10-year-old video of the viral “Chipotle is my life” kid before TikTok’s short-lived ban. It also revealed all the admins who make the magic on its tongue-in-cheek account.
Crocs
Crocs really said: “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you on [Instagram] Reels,” delivering a montage of the brand’s finest TikTok moments set to sad music. It’s yet to comment on TikTok’s surprise return.
Duolingo
TikTok darling Duolingo, which saw its Mandarin courses grow 216% last week as Americans switched to Chinese alternative RedNote, tackled the prospect of a ban with its signature unhinged humor.
It unmasked its popular green owl mascot, Duo, before hinting at a little regret over that decision once TikTok was reinstated.
@duolingo roll the end credits #duolingo #mascotreveal
@duolingo hope we don’t regret posting this on Monday! #duolingo #tiktokban
@duolingo Hannah Montana who #duolingo #tiktokban
E.l.f Cosmetics
E.l.f Cosmetics has become known for its quick-hit reactions to buzzworthy topics on TikTok, from capitalizing on the chatter around the Wicked press tour to getting involved in the “Hot Girl Walk” trend.
Its reaction to a TikTok ban was no different, throwing itself in the ring as a potential buyer (armed with a suitcase of makeup) and using the moment to promote its Power Grip primer. We wouldn’t expect anything less.
@elfyeah like, how much could it cost? Jelly Pop is a collectors item at this point 💸 #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #tiktokban
@elfyeah Power Grip Primer is literally the only thing holding me together rn 😭 #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #PowerGripPrimer #tiktokban
@elfyeah our makeup lasted longer than the ban 😭 #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #PowerGripPrimer #tiktokban
Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box’s absurd and slightly scary mascot bid farewell to fans over the weekend, departing with a promise to see them on RedNote. The fast-food brand also used the trending awkward ‘Hey! How Ya’ll Doin’?’ sound upon the app’s return.
@jackinthebox See yall there @ Jack_in_the_Box
@jackinthebox DnD I’m reading every single comment
@jackinthebox Was that a fever dream?
The North Face
The North Face took a trip down memory lane of its most memorable TikTok moments, including the time it delivered rain gear via helicopter to a woman in New Zealand following a complaint on the platform.
The outdoor brand urged TikTokers to take inspiration from its brand slogan: “Never Stop Exploring.”
@thenorthface we’ll miss you 🥲 #neverstopexploring
Target
Target created a funny, movie-style epilogue for its TikTok mascots, imploring its 3 million followers to stay connected on other social channels. Little did it know that Red Ball, Bullseye, and Art the Cart would be back on the small screen within 16 hours.
@target follow us @Target across all socials to stay connected ✨ it’s not a goodbye but a see u later 😉❤️🛒
Wendy’s
Followers can always count on Wendy’s for a slightly snarky, irreverent take on the news of the day, and the TikTok ban was no different.
“Gone but never forgotten until I forget in like two weeks,” the chain wrote under a memorial-style video that shared its biggest moments on the platform from 2019 through to now.
@wendys gone but never forgotten until i forget in like 2 weeks
Keep up with ADWEEK’s rolling coverage of the (now paused) TikTok ban here.
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