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As a product discovered over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an natural focus for social media algorithms.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a TikTok talking point has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and reducing expenditure on advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Users have even applied it to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or extend lashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without killing the party” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for primary networks have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with hundreds of content creators to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media and they’re spending a lot more time on 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. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”