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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 clear candidate for online content feeds.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

It has been touted as a solution for polishing footwear or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or extend lashes were disproven.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has persuaded leaders to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget 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 reaching consumers. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by users, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Across Britain, ad revenues for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in real terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers 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 consumers have more faith in suggestions from the personalities they subscribe to compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money 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. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Despite the huge changes, industry figures said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”