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First identified over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the simple jar of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for noisy doorways. Users have even applied it to combat the nuisance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. So too were ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Billboards and TV ads would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

A leading Unilever executive, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” 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.

“There’s this moving away from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by users, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

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

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Numerous corporations inform us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

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 see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Promotional expenditure on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than total media spending. Across the United States, it has over doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”