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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic spending more time on social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, advertising income for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, linking up with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers from conventional channels and they are dedicating far more hours to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than the broader media sector. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, 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.

Sykes said: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”