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As a product discovered over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, seeing big businesses spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in traditional media.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “everyday tips”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. Users have even applied it to combat the nuisance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or extend lashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been dubbed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This remains our core objective as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by users, talked about by other people, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention from conventional channels and they’re spending a lot more time on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Numerous corporations inform us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to test effectiveness.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on the creator economy is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”