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First identified more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an obvious target for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects seismic changes happening in audience habits, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Across Britain, ad revenues for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a media convergence as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention from conventional channels and they are dedicating far more hours to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Numerous corporations inform us audiences believe endorsements from the individuals they follow over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to see what works.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain multi-billion dollar sums 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 drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “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’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”