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Originally found more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

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 sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or extend lashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

The company's social media lead, who is leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was crucial.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip 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, many 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 other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers devoting greater hours to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, ad revenues for primary networks have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they’re spending a lot more time on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Regardless of the massive shift, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”