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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “everyday tips”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

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

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Billboards and TV ads would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in 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 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The approach indicates profound shifts happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in drops in TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for primary networks have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

Additionally, it points to a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

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 Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to see what works.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on the creator economy is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”