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Originally found over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the modest tin of Vaseline may not seem like an clear candidate for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or prolonging the scent of perfume, and also a remedy for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, strategists within the corporation enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would whiten teeth or extend lashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Billboards and TV ads would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was crucial.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, 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 strategy reflects profound shifts occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in traditional media advertising. In the UK, advertising income for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a merging of functions as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media 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.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by targeting content creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to see what works.

The approach is growing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

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

Sykes said: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still major broadcast spectacles. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”