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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have recorded its extensive utilization in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed 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 letting the content creators in on the results.

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 extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, 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 spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” 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.

“There’s this moving away from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers devoting greater hours to apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for TV and print advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“A lot of brands are telling 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 focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than total media spending. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “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 … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”