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First identified over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the modest tin of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for noisy doorways. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or extend lashes were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? 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 broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, talked about by other people, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors seismic changes happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, ad revenues for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in real terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with numerous influencers to boost their products.

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 digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by targeting content creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”