The challenge
For our youth information project TheSprout, we wanted to test how we could use TikTok to engage young people. When we hired two young creators to launch and run the account, we expected steady growth and engagement. What we didn’t expect was to go viral overnight.
One video from our Pride Cymru campaign reached 1 million views in under 24 hours, bringing huge visibility to the account but also a wave of unfiltered attention. With millions of people suddenly watching, commenting, and sharing, the positive engagement was quickly mixed with negativity and hate.
We had to react quickly and explore how to protect young people and keep the conversation safe while dealing with the rapid pace and pressure of going viral.
Below we’ll explore how we approached that moment, what we put in place, and the lessons we learned that can help other organisations prepare for and respond to going viral.
Our approach
We hired two young content creators to create and run a TikTok account for TheSprout. We gave them freedom to experiment with trending audios and create content that gave reliable information in a way that would resonate with their peers.
Their first TikTok-first campaign was the #MoreThanAMonth campaign, designed to show that Pride is not just a weekend celebration, but a conversation that continues all year.
To create the campaign content, TheSprout team attended Pride Cymru and interviewed 26 young people on topics that mattered to them.
We asked questions like:
“What advice would you give to young LGBTQIA+ people?”
“Why is Pride important to you?”
“Did you have any LGBTQIA+ sex ed in school?”
“What does your flag mean to you?”
The result was a series of short, unscripted vox-pops capturing the thoughts, worries, and hopes of young LGBTQIA+ people in their own words.
The impact
The campaign’s success was immediate and far-reaching. One video went viral, reaching 1 million views in under 24 hours and now sits at 3.8 million views.
Across the campaign, TheSprout’s TikTok content amassed over 4 million views, generating thousands of likes, shares, and comments.
The videos sparked greater understanding and acceptance. One person commented:
“Pure love for the soul – I love the definition. I’m going to use that whenever my older colleagues ask what Pan[sexual] is.”
The campaign not only amplified young LGBTQIA+ voices, it also sparked conversations among audiences who might never have encountered these perspectives before.
The challenges we faced
With viral reach came intense scrutiny and new audiences who wouldn’t have been shown our content ordinarily. The comments section moved quickly, and the positive engagement was unfortunately mixed with hateful content.
Our team dedicated hours to moderating, deleting, and reporting harmful comments to maintain a safe space. To manage this volume and protect our community, we implemented comment filters, giving us more control over what appears on our TikTok account.
Despite the negativity, this experience reinforced why it’s important for charities to be present in these digital spaces:
To normalise discussions about sexuality, gender, and identity.
To interrupt hate with positive messaging.
To create safer spaces for young people to share their experiences.
Key takeaways
- Meet young people where they are: TikTok offers unprecedented reach and engagement with young people.
- Authenticity wins: Real voices sparked genuine conversation and connection.
- Be prepared: Moderation tools and safeguarding plans are essential before planning and posting a campaign on TikTok.
How young people navigate life online
This viral TikTok campaign connects closely with our Life Online Discovery Report which explores what being online really means for young people today.
Our research highlighted that online spaces are central to how young people form identity, build relationships, and explore their interests. Nearly half said being online makes them feel “mostly good”.
But it also revealed risks, including almost half had seen harmful or upsetting content and one in three had experienced mean comments or bullying.
By linking these insights with youth-led campaigns like #MoreThanAMonth, we can amplify voices safely, foster understanding, and create more positive online spaces.
Work with us
At ProMo, we help organisations connect with young people in ways that matter. We deliver training to support you or can co-create campaigns that cut through the noise, amplify youth voices, and make a real impact for you.
To start the conversation, get in touch at andrew@promo.cymru
