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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to promoting products in conventional outlets.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have recorded its extensive utilization in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and revive leather bags. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has led decision-makers to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “without dampening the fun” 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.

“We are witnessing a departure from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, many communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated 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 Fundamental Consumption Turn

The approach indicates seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers devoting greater hours to social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The transition is visible in drops in traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, linking up with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media and they’re spending a lot more time on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“A lot of brands are telling us people trust recommendations from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities 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.”