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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. 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 formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and sharing usage tips.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with younger consumers allocating more attention to social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The transition is visible in falling revenues for broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, commercial funding for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, linking up with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences from conventional channels and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“A lot of brands are telling us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”