TikTok opens office in Zurich - with "Swissness" and creator spirit
TikTok is setting an example and opening its first office in Switzerland in Zurich. With a local team, prominent creators and a clear commitment to the location, new impulses are to be set for brands, media and agencies. m&k was on site - including a video insight into the event.
A location with a signal effect
TikTok has arrived - not only on Swiss smartphones, but also physically, in the heart of Zurich. The platform opened its first office in Switzerland on Talackerstrasse. A team of six specialists for brand partnerships, client solutions and creator relations will be on hand to support brands, agencies and media directly on site in future. However, the official launch took place in the Papiersaal in Sihlcity - between brick walls and a creative spirit of optimism.
"Swissness" in the DNA
David Roland, Head of Global Business Solutions DACH, opened the event and emphasized the importance of the new location: "After working very closely and successfully with our team with brands and creators in Switzerland in recent years, we are very pleased to strengthen our local presence with an office in Zurich." Switzerland, Roland continues, has its own dynamic and therefore deserves a specific approach - linguistically, culturally and economically.
With over 2.2 million monthly active users, TikTok is no longer a niche topic in this country. Particularly impressive: over 930,000 books were sold in Switzerland last year thanks to #BookTok - an increase of 14% compared to 2023. Trends don't just emerge on TikTok - they are flushed into everyday life from there.
Brand safety as a basis for trust
According to Roland, brand safety is a key concern for TikTok. The platform continuously invests in moderation and control mechanisms to ensure that content is displayed in a trustworthy environment. "Brand safety is not a project with an end date, but an ongoing process," says Roland. TikTok works with various tools and partners to ensure that brands appear in the contexts that suit them - transparently, controllably and securely.
From meme to brand
The fact that TikTok is also taken seriously in economic terms was underlined by the appearance of Dr. Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich. He placed the office opening in the context of Zurich's development - from a traditional financial center to a tech and creative location. "Over the last twenty years, Zurich has become one of the most exciting innovation centers in Europe," said Streiff. The choice of location is the result of years of discussions with Switzerland Global Enterprise and other partners. TikTok thus joins a list of global tech players that started small - and are now helping to shape the image of the city.
Zurich boasts economic stability, a high quality of life and talent from all over the world - from the ETH and the ZHdK to a flourishing start-up scene. Streiff was convinced: "TikTok brings a creative momentum to the city that goes far beyond entertainment."
Creator Economy with attitude
A highlight of the event was the talk with three creators who could hardly be more different - and yet all found their audience on TikTok:
- @alessiadaily: Focuses on humorous observations of everyday life in Swiss German.
@alessiadaily yes also few 🇮🇹italo bi kenni aui 😂😂😂💪🏽 #foryou #songs #switzerland #swiss #music #fype do you know any of them??? 🇨🇭
- @cedriklorenzen: The 33-year-old food creator with over 6 million followers inspires with "sexy food content" - visually opulent, playfully staged and technically highly precise.
@cedriklorenzen Episode 66 | Teaching your next date how to cook. #tapioca #mango #coconut A plated version of Es campur with coconut granita, pandan coconut jelly, clear coconut jelly, red bean coconut ice cream, tapioca pearls, strawberries, mango, and coconut pandan milk soup. The Ingredient list below! Taste 8/10 Viuslas ??/10 It's not only colorful but also a wonderful, refreshing dessert that allows you to add or remove things if desired. Furthermore, you can also make an even smaller version for a nice refresher style for another course. On that note, the highlight of this dessert, however, was the red bean coconut ice cream.
- @charlie.guide: Amanda Weizenegger uses TikTok to fight for more inclusion and accessibility as a visually impaired creator - with viral effects right up to the Olympic Games in Paris.
@charlie.guide We will keep fighting everyday. EDIT: This video has brought a huge amount of anger, sadness and confusion. And I'm very glad it did. This is how we change the world and have a real conversation on what's wrong with our society. It's also portant to know for every terrible person, there is at least 5 wonderful people . In this video we are showing you the dark side of society. This is not an issue with our country, as there are 3 different countries in this video. This is 1 year worth of incidents. The videos are located in the London, Paris and Switzerland. Our goal is to show you that sadly, there is mistreatment and lack of understanding of disabled people no matter where you go. We WILL keep fighting. For our rights worldwide. #disability #accessibility #guidedog #assistancedog #servicedog #fype
♬ Gratitude (Instrumental) - The Worship Initiative Instrumentals
Cedrik Lorenzen - between food, format and attitude
Cedrik Lorenzen - or Cedrik, as his community calls him - embodies a creator who merges indulgence and social media into a coherent brand. What began with simple recipe ideas developed into stylized "food theater": fruit that is sensitively cut up, slow-mo shots of washing up with a bare upper body - but always with a focus on taste, quality and cinematic perfection. His philosophy: "Funny, sexy, but with substance."
@cedriklorenzen I'm having some particularly R-rated thoughts right now and you seem to be the star. #beefwellington #finedining #yougotserved #fype Notes: - Beef welly a lovely dish. pretty classic and straightforward. - My cooking Temp was 190°C/374°F then reduced to 180°C/356°F for 25 min (then internal temp check) plus additional cooking time at 5min intervals internal temp checks. Tips on Making One: 1. have a thermometer to get the correct reading (do this towards the end stage of cooking time). 2. place your Welly on a preheated oven tray to ensure a nice crispy base. 3. take out your Welly 4-5 degrees before reaching your final desired temperature and doneness as it will still be cooking. Trust me, nothing worse than having it overcooked. Spinach Crepe Recipe (makes extra or serves up to 4 pax): - 150g water - 150g milk - 2g salt - 2 egg - 45g spinach - 120g flour Puff Pastry Recipe (makes extra): - 212g water - 14g salt - 75g butter melted - 460g flour - 400g butter block
In his talk, Lorenzen emphasized that two personalities in particular have influenced him: the Australian celebrity chef Neil Perry, who taught him to let products speak for themselves - and the British avant-gardist Heston Blumenthal, who inspired him to experiment with cuisine and emotionally charge content. His goal: his own restaurant in Zurich - and until then, further creative collaborations with brands, "as long as they bring quality and respect".
He appealed to brands not to treat creators as cheap advertising media: "Good content needs trust, creative freedom - and fair contracts." Many creators work without an agency and are dependent on being treated as equals. The fact that TikTok strengthens this community culture is one of the reasons why he feels at home on the platform.
Seriously creative - for brands too
TikTok wants to be more than just a platform. The Zurich-based team wants to develop solutions with brands from Switzerland - locally anchored but globally scalable. Swatch was the first customer in 2021, and today companies such as Onrunning are also on board. For export brands, TikTok offers access to communities around the globe. At the same time, the focus is on new partnerships - including with the media. TikTok not only wants to be a player in the advertising market in Switzerland, but also a relevant media partner.
Creativity meets strategy
What remains after this day? A professional appearance of a platform that brings its disruptive energy to the market in a targeted manner - but also shows a willingness to adapt. Between creator charm, local finesse and structured business development, an exciting mix is emerging in Zurich - for brands, agencies, media and institutions that want to make serious use of TikTok.
