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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, where major corporations are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes 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 ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on platform-based material.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

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 engaging on social media “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The approach indicates seismic changes happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for primary networks have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

This further signifies a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

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

“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 expensive broadcast campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to frame public debate.

She added: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”