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First identified 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 popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”.

It has been touted as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of snack dust adhering to hands.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on platform-based material.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

A leading Unilever executive, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “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, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates profound shifts taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, advertising income for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention from conventional channels and they’re spending a lot more time on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than total media spending. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power 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’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”