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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for online content feeds.

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

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

A leading Unilever executive, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of connecting with customers. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a broadcast model, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. 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 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

The strategy reflects profound shifts happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, advertising income for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with numerous influencers to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to digital video and image apps than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

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 the creator economy is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

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

She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”