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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an obvious target for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, strategists within the corporation boosted the tips 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 validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, diverse 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 users, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The transition is visible in drops in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, commercial funding for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

An industry expert from a leading agency 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 watching live TV or reading print.

“Numerous corporations inform 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 investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, industry figures said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role 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. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”