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Originally found more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the modest tin of Vaseline could hardly be considered an obvious target for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “everyday tips”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. So too were ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This observation of social channels to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said engaging on social media “without dampening the fun” was essential.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“We are witnessing a departure from a broadcast model, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for primary networks have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, collaborating with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences 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 consumers have more faith in suggestions from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

Sykes said: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”