🔗 Share this article

Originally found over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an obvious target for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in traditional media.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

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

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

A leading Unilever executive, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“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 sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors profound shifts happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, advertising income for primary networks have dropped substantially in real terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

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

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers 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.

“Many companies report to us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”