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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and reducing expenditure on advertising goods in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, diverse communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

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

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, ad revenues for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to compared to commercial messages. It's an ongoing shift.”

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

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on the creator economy is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to frame public debate.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”