Education and TikTok sounds like a terrible combination. Enemies at worst, antonyms at best. With youth attention spans thinning and intellectual curiousity becoming obsolete, teaching seems quite literally impossible, much more so on TikTok. But, the content wizards at OnLockLearning were able to turn Calculus concepts into funny skits and Statistics formulas into cheeky comics, amassing 120k+ followers and 3.2 million likes on TikTok. Here’s how.
Every OnLockLearning video has the same format: a split screen with a STEM problem on top and a headshot of the creator on the bottom. The creator will then ask a question about the problem, to which various celebrities will jump in and help him. From Donald Trump to Mr Beast to Ice Spice, any and every big name has been featured on their account with the power of AI.
But, the celebrity cameos alone are not what make their videos so engaging. The editing style is satisfying yet unobstructive, capturing attention while not overstimulating the learner. Common Gen-Z/Alpha motifs like the YouTube mouse cursor, Fortnite “Fish Stick” character, and Mr. Incredible memes are used to illustrate the importance of STEM concepts in relatable scenarios. Nostalgic sound effects like the mouse click, slide whistle, and BONK add flair to the crucial topics.
So, what makes these silly videos so effective, and why does it seem like every one of them blows up? Through all their subtle pop-culture references, OnLockLearning demonstrates a key understanding of their target market. They know that the biggest pain point for young students is that math and science aren’t taught to them in an engaging and relatable way. To resolve this, OnLockLearning disguises their educational content with a familiar voice and style – all aspects of their videos resemble regular TikToks Gen Zers might watch, with the same memes, sound effects, and pacing they might expect. This makes their brand voice much more personable: viewers will feel like they’re being talked to by a peer rather than being educated by a teacher.
As a marketer, try your best to encapsulate a relatable brand voice, whatever that may be. If you’re selling furniture to end consumers, speak like an interior design expert. If you’re promoting performance supplements for athletes, boast like a gymbro. And if you’re teaching calculus to a bunch of uninterested kids, maybe use AI Snoop Dogg and Taylor Swift as your TAs.
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