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First identified more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for online content feeds.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an marketing transformation, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and reducing expenditure on advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, marketers at Unilever enhanced the tricks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or extend lashes were disproven.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, newly named, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, since the era of community gossip and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects profound shifts occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

The transition is visible in declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, commercial funding for major broadcasters have declined by over six hundred million pounds in real terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Numerous corporations inform us audiences believe endorsements 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 permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to frame public debate.

Sykes said: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”