It may seem unlikely, but a Co Down department store has gone viral on TikTok after gaining thousands of followers in a few days.
Warden's of Newtownards is a family-run department store that has been operating since 1877. First starting out as a small hardware store, the shop now has four floors and is a staple on the Newtownards high street.
Last year, the department store hired some new members of staff who were keen to expand Warden's marketing offering onto video app TikTok. The gamble has surely paid off, as the account now has over 115,000 followers.
Read more: NI woman's joy as handmade clothes worn on Love Island
Up until Wednesday, the page had under 700 followers but after TikTok user @holymorridge posted a video highlighting some of their "best bits", their follower count quickly shot up.
Tracey Meredith is the Digital Marketing Co-Ordinator for Warden's, and she told Belfast Live the staff are amazed at how well the videos are doing.
"The staff are all really excited about how it's going and it's good fun. About a year ago we employed a couple of new staff who were keen to set up a TikTok account. We didn't use it as much as our other social media platforms initially," she explained.
"The staff are really enjoying making them. It's really motivating them to come up with more ideas for the videos, as it's had a real positive impact throughout the store, with everybody talking about it and excited about it."
Videos feature a variety of staff members at the department store, including Jonny Sloan, Nigel Edmunds, and Stuart Boyd.
The short clips feature a variety of content including promotional videos, sale announcements, and even blooper reels - all recorded with a fun twist.
"It's been quite endearing I think," Tracey said. "People like how raw and real the people are, it's the sort of people you would meet around the countryside of Northern Ireland.
"I think people are attracted to how unfiltered it is, and to be honest that's just the way our staff are, it's not forced at all. If it was forced it would appear like that I think. It's just staff who are very enthusiastic about the store, their jobs and customer service.
"We've had a few people coming in and mentioning the TikTok, and friends of the staff are getting in touch telling them they saw their videos on the app."
Tracey said the popularity of their account has sky-rocketed over the past few days, and they've already had people in touch wanting to find out more about Warden's.
She added: "It really has only taken off over the past day or so, and it's having a real positive impact on the store. People are asking us questions about the store on the app, it's not just about the staff, people are interested in finding out a little bit more about us too."
You can keep up with the Warden's of Newtownards team on TikTok by clicking here.
READ NEXT:
- New Channel 4 documentary seeks Belfast parents due babies this summer
- Jamie Dornan tells how he cried when visiting old pub he used to work in
NI singletons wanted for new series of Beauty Queen and Single
New series to go behind the scenes at Belfast's maternity ward
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
