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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for digital platform algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has thrust it into the lead of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Users have even applied it to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. Yet this viral episode has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without killing the party” was crucial.

“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.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The transition is visible in falling revenues for traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and their time is increasingly on digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Numerous corporations inform us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, industry figures said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as broadcasters retained the power to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”