As a product discovered more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for digital platform algorithms.
However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has thrust it into the lead of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in conventional outlets.
Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.
Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.
Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.
Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were refuted.
Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to turbocharge spending on content creators.
This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on digital creator content.
A leading Unilever executive, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was paramount.
“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.
“We are witnessing a departure from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.
“Having your brand advocated by consumers, talked about by other people, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”
The approach indicates profound shifts happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.
The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, advertising income for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.
Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.
A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to digital video and image apps than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.
“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”
He added firms may also cut expenditures by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.
The approach is growing. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach substantial figures in 2025.
Even with this transformation, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role 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. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”
A tech journalist and gadget reviewer with over a decade of experience, specializing in consumer electronics and innovation trends.