🔗 Share this article

First identified over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, strategists within the corporation boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Claims that it would bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

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

“How can companies join discussions credibly? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

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

This change is evidenced by declines in TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, linking up with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to shape the national conversation.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. 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.”