TikTok’s new chapter: what the US joint venture means for UK brands
TikTok’s US business now sits with a US-majority joint venture. For UK advertisers, little has changed day to day, but there are new formats worth testing.
In January 2026, TikTok’s US operations moved to a new joint venture with majority US ownership, with Oracle handling cloud and data protection. At its NewFronts presentation in March, TikTok pitched advertisers on a “bigger” and “bolder” chapter under the new structure [1].
New ad formats
Logo Takeovers: co-branded placements when people open the app [1].
Prime Time: up to three sequential spots within 15 minutes, for storytelling across ads [1].
Pulse Tastemakers: partnerships with creators to build community around a brand [1].
What it means in the UK
The joint venture covers the US business. For UK brands, campaigns, accounts and TikTok Shop carry on as before. The bigger lesson is stability: after years of uncertainty, TikTok is investing to keep advertisers, which usually means new formats and better tools.
Our advice
Keep TikTok in the mix if your audience is there, and plan it as its own channel with native creative.
Test sequential storytelling if you have a product that needs explaining.
Work with creators. TikTok content that looks like an ad rarely performs like good TikTok.
Sources
TikTok pitches advertisers on bold new chapter under US joint venture, Marketing Dive (March 2026)
TikTok advertising in 2026: what questions remain post-sale?, Basis
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