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First identified over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for social media algorithms.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an marketing transformation, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Currently, a wave of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. 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 termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

Selina Sykes, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, since the era of community gossip and sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, talked about by other people, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic spending more time on digital networks than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. In the UK, ad revenues for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering 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 they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

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

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”