Brand & Creator Commerce with TikTok’s Ajay Salpekar

Jul 2, 2025

Ajay Salpekar, GM of Brand & Creator Commerce at TikTok, has an impressive background with experience at Unilever and Amazon. He shares how shopping on TikTok can go from 19 days to just 19 seconds thanks to compelling content. Ajay highlights the importance of creator partnerships for brand storytelling and reveals strategies for turning viral moments into sustained sales. He also discusses how TikTok Shop empowers small beauty brands through authentic collaborations, reshaping their visibility and engagement in a competitive market.

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INSIGHT

TikTok Shortens Shopping Journey

TikTok transforms a shopping journey from 19 days to 19 seconds through engaging, creator-generated content.
This discovery commerce bypasses traditional search-based discovery and captivates impulse buying behavior.

ADVICE

Use TikTok for Offline Halo

Leverage TikTok Shop for offline sales impact via discovery and creator collaborations.
Partner with creators to seed buzz and turn trends into retail foot traffic.

INSIGHT

Mindset Drives TikTok Success

Mindset, not metrics, drives brand success on TikTok Shop.
Content quantity, quality, and creator engagement fuel commerce impact more than traditional outputs alone.

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The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Ajay Salpekar, the GM of Brand & Creator Commerce at TikTok, the world's leading social destination for short-form video.

Follow Ajay on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salpekar/

Follow TikTok on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiktok/

Follow TikTok online at: http://ads.tiktok.com

Ajay answers these questions:

What inspired your transition from roles at Unilever and Amazon to leading TikTok’s beauty commerce strategy?
You’ve mentioned that a shopping journey that once took 19 days can now take 19 seconds on TikTok because of compelling content. How does that happen - on the Brand side and on the Consumer behaviour end?
What strategies have proven most effective for brands to convert viral TikTok moments into sustained sales?
How do you define success for beauty brands on TikTok Shop, and what key metrics do you prioritize?
Can you share insights into how TikTok Shop is leveling the playing field for emerging/small beauty brands
How do you see the role of creators evolving in the context of brand storytelling and product launches? Can you give us some insight into the Creator mindset and how that drives long-term partnerships, particularly with Beauty brands?
Can you share an example of a successful creator-brand collaboration on TikTok Shop that led to significant business results?
What best practices do you recommend for brands when collaborating with creators to ensure authentic and effective partnerships?

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