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Originally found more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or prolonging the scent of perfume, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to combat the nuisance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has led decision-makers to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“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 mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by users, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors seismic changes taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

The transition is visible in drops in traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. That’s a consistent trend.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. 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.”