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First identified more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “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 sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The approach indicates dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, advertising income for major broadcasters have declined by over six hundred million pounds in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers 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 influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. Across the United States, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”