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First identified more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an natural focus for social media algorithms.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

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

Harnessing the Hype

Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks 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. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would bleach teeth or extend lashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, since the era of community gossip 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 groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors profound shifts occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, linking up with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has over doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Regardless of the massive shift, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still major broadcast spectacles. 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.”