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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline may not seem like an clear candidate for online content feeds.

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

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors seismic changes taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for traditional media advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for primary networks have dropped substantially in real 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 enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than total media spending. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still major broadcast spectacles. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”