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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has thrust it into the lead of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Hailed as a solution for polishing footwear or prolonging the scent of perfume, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance 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 providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by users, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors seismic changes happening in audience habits, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media 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 personalities they subscribe to compared to commercial messages. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to see what works.

Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed television commercials still played a key part 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. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”