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First identified more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for digital platform algorithms.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Currently, a wave of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

Promoted as a solution for polishing footwear or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Noticing its viral resurgence, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has persuaded leaders to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

A leading Unilever executive, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects seismic changes taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for traditional media advertising. In the UK, ad revenues for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and their time is increasingly on digital video and image apps than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on the creator economy is increasing four times faster than the broader media sector. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”