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Originally found more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a popular subject on TikTok has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave 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 making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were validated. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or extend lashes were disproven.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of reaching consumers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“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 one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

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

The transition is visible in falling revenues for traditional media advertising. Across Britain, ad revenues for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by targeting content creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to see what works.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”