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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline may not seem like an natural focus for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. So too were ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or extend lashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was essential.

“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.

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

“Having your brand advocated by users, 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

The approach indicates seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

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

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the individuals they follow over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than total media spending. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”