🔗 Share this article

Originally found more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and revive leather bags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

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 participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“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.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Across Britain, commercial funding for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on social platforms like 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. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”