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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 social media algorithms.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

First created commercially in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Users have even applied it to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

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

Suggestions that it lessened the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. So too were ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, newly named, has suggested it is aiming 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 heading the digital initiative, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, linking up with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Numerous corporations inform us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the individuals they follow compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% 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 networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

Sykes said: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”