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Originally found more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline may not seem like 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 promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix 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, strategists within the corporation 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 sting of chili on the mouth were validated. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, talked about by other people, 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 strategy reflects dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to digital networks than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, ad revenues for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

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

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”