LONDON: TikTok has announced a strategic collaboration with Saudi creative studio Telfaz11 to create an exclusive Ramadan series, marking the platform’s first-ever episodic branded content series.

Shadi Kandil, general manager of Global Business Solutions for the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa, and Central and South Asia at TikTok, spoke of the significance of the partnership, saying that it “brings best-in-class publishers to the platform to produce locally relevant content that our community will enjoy, allowing advertisers to natively engage with audiences on a deeper level during the month of Ramadan.”

Kandil further highlighted TikTok’s evolution into a premier entertainment hub, showcasing “high-quality, locally produced entertainment tailored to diverse audiences.”

Telfaz11 will premiere two exclusive shows weekly, specifically designed for TikTok viewers, throughout Ramadan.

One show invites TikTok users to join two agents on daring missions, while the other promises laughter and social reflections as Em Salah, an elderly Saudi woman, humorously looks at trends and culture, discussing the next generation of voices from the Kingdom.

The shows will integrate advertisers into the heart of weekly Ramadan episodes, utilizing a blend of “TikTok’s community-building features and storytelling capabilities” alongside “Telfaz11’s creative expertise at the intersection of innovation.”

Alaa Faden, CEO at Telfaz11, said: “We are always looking to adapt our content format in ways that reach different audiences.

“Through these shows we aim to deliver compelling narratives that entertain, inspire, and resonate with TikTok’s diverse communities.”