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Originally found more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for digital platform 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 investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to stop the scourge of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Proposals that it might brighten smiles or extend lashes were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has led decision-makers to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by users, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The approach indicates seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a media convergence as large companies almost become production houses themselves, linking up with hundreds of content creators to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“A lot of brands are telling us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by targeting content creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to test effectiveness.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”