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Originally found more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, strategists within the corporation boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This observation of social channels to inform business strategy has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, 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 leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, since the era of community gossip and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, ad revenues for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading 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 consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Numerous corporations inform us audiences believe endorsements from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still major broadcast spectacles. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”