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First identified more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on marketing items in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips 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, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was essential.

“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 sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The approach indicates profound shifts taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for traditional media advertising. In the UK, advertising income for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

It also reflects a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, collaborating with numerous influencers to boost their products.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention 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.

“A lot of brands are telling us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. 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.”