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First identified over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline may not seem like an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in conventional outlets.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of amateur-created clips have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, 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, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This observation of social channels to inform business strategy has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on platform-based material.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without dampening the fun” 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 discussing household products.

“There’s this moving away from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors profound shifts occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

It also reflects a media convergence as large companies almost become production houses themselves, linking up with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention from conventional channels and they are dedicating far more hours to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Numerous corporations inform us audiences believe endorsements from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by investing in creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than total media spending. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

Sykes said: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”