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As a product discovered over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on platform-based material.

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 connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and sharing usage tips.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by users, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by drops in traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

This further signifies a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“A lot of brands are telling us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”