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First identified over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially 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 chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. So too were ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

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

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, since the era of community gossip and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Currently, it's countless discussions, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic spending more time on digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in real terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to 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 social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“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 said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Regardless of the massive shift, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

She added: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”