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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an natural focus for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a solution for polishing footwear or prolonging the scent of perfume, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever enhanced the tricks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has persuaded leaders to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without killing the party” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“Having your brand advocated by users, talked about by other people, 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 dramatic transformations happening in audience habits, with younger consumers devoting greater hours to social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, 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 blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences from conventional channels and their time is increasingly on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. 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 see what works.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still 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.”