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First identified over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

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 using on their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. This was also the case for ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or extend lashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, 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 dampening the fun” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and sharing usage tips.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, talked about by other people, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors profound shifts taking place in media consumption, with younger consumers allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, advertising income for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as large companies almost become production houses themselves, linking up with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures 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. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”