A time-lapse or short-format video content platform named TikTok has achieved a magnitude yet to be attained by any other social media application for such material and essence. Zhan Yiming, the principal founder of the tech bigwig ByteDance in China, made it in the media with his investment in what became a fabulously big app and reached out to billions of users to retain over 1 billion. Everything is transparent and clear so far, but despite all the facts we know about TikTok, one thing doesn’t seem to let internauts sleep sound at night. Suppose the significance behind the logos of other primordial platforms is publicly presented, just like the specific icon’s design creator. In that case, this isn’t the case with the mysterious, unconventional Chinese platform TikTok.
There’s hidden symbolism behind the TikTok brand emblem as far as it’s known, so let’s unearth its significance to better understand what’s with all the secrecy surrounding the creator of one of the largest worldwide social media platforms.
What message were they trying to send through the TikTok icon?
There’s an underlying message behind the TikTok icon regardless of how much mystification is trying to be avoided in this equation. We do not mean to shred the wordmark and graphic symbol into more mystery and perplexity than it has already attached to it but to make a point that, just like many other apps, this one too had an ambitious teamwork to carry out the tricky biz behind the design.
From what has been subtracted, the graphical logo is represented by the letter “D” configured into a musical note. The eighth element among the musical notes we know today stands for the app’s primary name, “Douyin”, which remains used in the motherland of the project, namely China. What’s more surprising, the app only enjoyed this name for a year after its launch in 2016, receiving the worldwide denomination and recognition as TikTok. In less than a year, the app reached over 100MN users, marking the right moment to introduce the term “TikTok” to the international markets and leading us to wonder what’s the catch. For those unfamiliar with TikTok’s roots, “Douyin” can be translated as “shaking sound” – precisely what the design tries to inspire visually.
Unearthing the mystery
TikTok draws inspiration from the term “Tick-tock,” implying a connection to games. However, it appears to function as an onomatopoeic representation of countdowns and clocks, evoking a sense of “minute-by-minute action.” To better suggest the passage of time and how it can be compared to an ongoing background melody, the graphical symbol bears three hues – pink, white, and blue – overlayed.
ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, picked a different name for their promising project that gained more traction than expected. There isn’t an official source for the translation or representamen of the icon since we’re lacking an official pronunciation of such a thing from the company or other agents at TikTok. However, since we’re trying to unearth its meaning while sticking to our common sense and reasonability, a widespread connection between the logo and the short, snappy vids on the app makes more sense than any other significance wrapped in a conspiracy we could encounter.
TikTok and Musica.ly, a match making heaven
It happens that the company behind TikTok had previously acquired a resembling platform named Musica.ly in the U.S., designed to enable users to craft 15-second lip-sync or dance vids. TikTok started the same way regarding its vision and commenced trends and challenges we’re familiar with. However, by 2017, the mammoth ByteDance purchased the app and officially announced the debut between it and TikTok, as international markets knew it. This junction started the following craze, paving the foundation for developing a community where everyone can create and share content and add enthusiasm and innovation to posts. Content creators have some on-point, straightforward methods of growing larger audiences, buying themselves followers and likes to strengthen their image and connect with their target audience more rapidly, with all the information needed being easily accessed at TikCeleb and used afterwards.
Not many know how the bigwig TikTok started and where its roots are, so knowing this insight will help you create an impression when such discussions reach your table.
A thousand words behind a short acronym
The brand hasn’t transformed too much since its debut – the logo remained essentially the same, emphasizing the connection between music and the platform as intended. On the other hand, the colors using white, blue, and pink against a black background were not an accident nor a mindless creation.
The designer is said to have been inspired by a rock concert and the whole rock music niche, looking to depict a lighted stage in a dark room. The bright hues surrounding the icon remind of arena lighting plays focused on an on-stage artist, additionally suggesting the digital scene provided for creators. Seemingly, the parallel drawn isn’t far from what TikTok succeeded in offering enthusiasts. It’s a common practice to express thoughts on different climate or social justice matters, exchange entertainment ideas, engage in heated topics, learn and impart knowledge in any specific area, and partake in a community aligned with your interests.
The typography is one-of-a-kind to date
The brand icon’s builders felt like a simple sans serif font would best transmit their intended message, which also aligned with the initial split of the terms. In the beginning, Tik was separated from Tok for reasons that haven’t been publicly and officially disclosed. However, later, and without a given explanation, the space between the words got eliminated, maintaining capital for the first letters. Potentially, the logo designers aspired to create the sensation of a community that grows tighter and more interconnected in time, showing that two content creators start disadvantaged in one way or another.
The app blesses anyone with equal chances to make a name for themselves – it’s just how they take these perks to transform them into gold that differentiates two content creators.
Pay attention to the red tape in case you use the logo!
It’s important to note that, despite the friendliness of the platform, there’s red tape making TikTok a hard-to-grasp concept in case one wants to use the logo in their content. Featuring the brand’s icon in any sort of visual material necessitates an establishment with the business and potentially some taxes to pay, which is why it’s essential to read the rules, terms, and conditions of the platform in this regard if you want to take advantage of it.
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