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As a product discovered over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for digital platform algorithms.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a solution for polishing footwear or prolonging the scent of perfume, and also a remedy for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could lengthen scent duration and revive leather bags. Proposals that it might brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has led decision-makers to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, recently appointed, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without killing the party” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates seismic changes happening in audience habits, with younger consumers spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in drops in TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for primary networks have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, collaborating with numerous influencers to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. This is a persistent pattern.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, industry figures said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”