In just a few short years, Ballotra has carved out a name for itself as one of Malta’s most dynamic digital agencies.
Across a growing client roster, including Welbee’s, Epic, and Cloudigo, Ballotra’s creative strategies have helped these brands and many others generate close to 10 million organic views on TikTok without relying on paid advertising.
One highlight has been the agency’s work for local ride-hailing platform eCabs, which in April 2024 found itself enjoying a wave of unprecedented engagement. App installs surged by 81% and weekly ride bookings spiked by roughly 20%. And far from what most would expect, this wasn’t the result of an expensive media blitz across billboards, YouTube ads, or glossy TV spots. Instead, the momentum came from a cleverly crafted, delightfully cheeky April Fool’s video on TikTok.
For CEO Nick Bugeja, the campaign was a prime example of what Ballotra does best, making TikTok work not just for likes, but for real business outcomes. “The idea for our eCabs April Fool’s post was created with TikTok in mind from the start,” he explains. “Together with the core eCabs marketing team, we introduced a new ride category called Super+ teasing a Lamborghini available through the app. We filmed a promo for the supercar, with a carefully put together strategy, and as expected the whole thing just took off. People started sharing it in group chats, asking about it, phoning the eCabs call centre, checking the app. Even after they realised it was an April Fool’s joke, the buzz didn’t stop.”
The video was one of those rare viral hits that leapt off the platform, landing features in Times of Malta, Lovin Malta, and other major news portals. What started as a bit of fun content turned into one of the brand’s highest-performing campaigns to date, driving real results in downloads, bookings, and revenue. “In fact, this campaign was deemed so successful in Malta that Taxi.gr, the eCabs Tech partner in Greece, used our exact proven playbook and executed the same campaign in Athens on a larger scale, and the result of it was massive,” Nick adds.
This wasn’t Ballotra’s first viral hit on the video sharing platform. In fact, since launching in 2021, Ballotra has quietly been behind some of the most talked-about TikTok pages on the island. These include a Baby Reindeer parody for eCabs, tapping into the global success of the hit Netflix drama, as well as a fun series of videos for Welbee’s Supermarket, where in-store employees are used for trends to promote their weekly price-drops, and cheeky viral videos for Epic’s unlimited plans.
It’s this mix of cultural awareness, creative timing, and platform fluency that has helped cement Ballotra as Malta’s go-to TikTok marketing agency, seamlessly integrating their social media work with their other core verticals in tech and AI.
Beyond TikTok, Ballotra’s expertise extends into full-scale digital execution - from CRO-optimised landing pages to performance-driven ad creative, automation, and AI-powered growth strategies. Whether it’s helping a SaaS brand streamline their funnel or revamping an eCommerce store for maximum conversion, the agency’s strength lies in building marketing ecosystems that convert attention into revenue.
That instinct for experimentation and creative execution was there from the very beginning. Before launching the agency, Nick created the quirky and mega viral Maltese card game called Karti Bil-Bajd. This served as a full testbed for the kind of branding, ecommerce, design, and viral marketing work they would later offer to clients. “It gave us something tangible to point to when we first set out and started approaching clients,” explains Nick. “It became a great icebreaker with clients, and they could see what we were capable of before we even had an agency.”
Speaking about the agency’s early adoption of TikTok, Amy Lang, Senior Sales and Marketing Strategist, notes that: “When we started out, there was definitely some hesitation from our clients about embracing TikTok. But once a few of our campaigns gained traction, and more importantly, once those results translated into tangible business outcomes, we saw a lot of trust. These days, more and more brands are coming to us specifically for our TikTok expertise.”
One of the biggest shifts is helping brands realise that TikTok isn’t Facebook or Instagram. As Nicole Cassar, Creative Content Executive, explains it requires an entirely different mindset, and part of that approach starts with letting go of the perfection and polish that most brands are accustomed to presenting to the public.
“Generally speaking, a brand wants to present itself as very polished and curated. But TikTok thrives on candid, relatable moments. You need to think like a user, not a marketeer. And that’s a big adjustment for some clients,” Amy says.
One common misconception Ballotra often has to challenge is the idea that TikTok is just for Gen Z. While the app may have started out with a younger crowd, the reality today is very different.
“Before COVID, it was mostly teens,” Nick adds. “But data shows the average age on TikTok is increasing.” What’s more, the app’s simplicity is part of the reason for its wide reach. “Once you download TikTok, you’re immediately shown content. There’s no need to build a feed or add friends. It’s fast and very intuitive.”
Nicole continues: “And unlike other platforms, TikTok isn’t necessarily a pay-to-play game. A business can have zero followers, and still see their content viewed by thousands, if the content hits the right notes. With TikTok ads still not available in Malta, that organic potential becomes a real differentiator.
“As we tell our clients, virality is a bonus,” Nick says. “Our main focus is building a community and helping brands stay top of mind and relevant, for cheap. And we’ve found a formula that helps us do just that.”
At the heart of that formula is a strategy whereby the Ballotra team sets clear goals, identifying target audiences for the brand, and pinpointing real-life pain points they can build stories around. They choose the right faces to front each video, which can sometimes be a staff member, other times a local personality or influencer, and make sure the content sparks a feel-good factor.
“We’ve seen that what works really well on TikTok is relatability and storytelling,” adds Amy. “If you jump in with a hard sell, people tend to switch off. You’ve got to be subtle, entertaining, and above all, authentic.”
Given how fast TikTok moves, timing is everything. A trend that’s hot today could feel stale two weeks from now. For Ballotra, staying ahead of the curve means working at speed, and earning the trust from clients to move quickly when it matters most.
“It takes a lot of trust at the C-level,” says Nick, “Bureaucracy can really slow things down. But we’re lucky to have built that trust with our clients. Once they see the results, they’re more willing to let us lead the way.”
And as Nicole points out, because the Ballotra team lives and breathes TikTok, they’re constantly spotting patterns and momentum shifts before they hit the mainstream. “We’re able to predict a trend before it peaks,” she explains. “That way, we can get content ready to go when the moment’s right.”
For brands new to TikTok, the learning curve can feel steep. Trying to bolt it onto an existing social media strategy often leads to confusion, or worse, content that wildly misses the mark. That’s why the Ballotra team is focused not just on execution, but education.
“I think brands sometimes fall into the trap of trying to fit TikTok into what they’re already doing,” Nick notes. “But as we have seen, the platform needs a dedicated approach.”
To make things easier, Ballotra has created a free downloadable guide, packed with tested tips and insights. “This guide offers a clear, easy-to-follow breakdown of what’s worked for us and our clients. It’s a great starting point for any business looking to familiarise themselves with marketing on TikTok.”
Of course, the Ballotra team is also happy to offer more specialised advice. “We encourage brands to get in touch with us for a no-strings-attached Strategy Call. This is a chance to talk through your challenges and see how we can help.
Ballotra works closely with a diverse mix of clients, from fast-scaling DTC brands and SaaS startups to real estate agencies and event organisers - businesses that understand the value of strategic, creative execution at speed.
“Our goal is to build long-term partnerships where your TikTok strategy fits seamlessly into the bigger picture. We see it as a powerful top-of-funnel tool that drives memorability, discoverability, and trust,” says Nick. “And with the right mix of creativity and timing, a little virality too.”
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