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As a product discovered over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the simple jar of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

First created commercially in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Claims that it would bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were disproven.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of reaching consumers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and sharing usage tips.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

The transition is visible in falling revenues for broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the personalities they subscribe to compared to commercial messages. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Promotional expenditure on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

She added: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”