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Originally found more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Claims that it would bleach teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, 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 essential.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, commercial funding for major broadcasters have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

This further signifies a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with hundreds of content creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences out of certain traditional media outlets and they are dedicating far more hours to 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 noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on the creator economy 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.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”