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Originally found over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an obvious target for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a TikTok talking point has positioned it at the vanguard of an marketing transformation, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

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 byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

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. Claims that it would bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

A leading Unilever executive, 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 dampening the fun” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects profound shifts taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to compared to commercial messages. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Regardless of the massive shift, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “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 concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”