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First identified over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Suggestions that it lessened the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was paramount.

“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 discussing household products.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, talked about by other people, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates seismic changes taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, advertising income for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering 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’re spending a lot more time on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Numerous corporations inform us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. Across the United States, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

Sykes said: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”