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Originally found over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has thrust it into the lead of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“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.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by users, talked about by other people, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The strategy reflects seismic changes happening in audience habits, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in TV and print advertising. Across Britain, commercial funding for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers from conventional channels and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like 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. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by targeting content creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”