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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an obvious target for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips have recorded its extensive utilization in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips 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 debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and discussing household products.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates profound shifts occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, ad revenues for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds 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, 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 out of certain traditional media outlets and they are dedicating far more hours to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

The approach is growing. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.

Sykes said: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”