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Originally found over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for digital platform algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in traditional media.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could bleach teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has persuaded leaders to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, 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? This has perpetually been our aim 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 … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by users, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations happening in audience habits, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, commercial funding for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with numerous influencers 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 digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Numerous corporations inform us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is projected to reach substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

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