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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Noticing its viral resurgence, strategists within the corporation boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

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 participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“There’s this moving away from a one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The evolution of platform 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 is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a media convergence as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by targeting content creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Regardless of the massive shift, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to shape the national conversation.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”