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First identified more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to combat the nuisance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or extend lashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has persuaded leaders to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This observation of social channels to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects seismic changes happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in TV and print advertising. Across Britain, advertising income for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m 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, linking up with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention from conventional channels 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. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

Sykes said: “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’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”