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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 clear candidate for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has thrust it into the lead of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Suggestions that it lessened the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or lengthen eyelashes 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 turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, who is leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without killing the party” was essential.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects profound shifts happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences 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, ad revenues for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers from conventional channels 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 audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to see what works.

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”