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As a product discovered over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and reducing expenditure on marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, strategists within the corporation enhanced the tricks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode 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, newly named, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, talked about by other people, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects seismic changes happening in audience habits, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, ad revenues for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with numerous influencers to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

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

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

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, industry figures said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”