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First identified more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for social media algorithms.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a solution for polishing footwear or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The strategy reflects seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic allocating more attention to social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for TV and print advertising. In the UK, ad revenues for major broadcasters have declined by over six hundred million pounds in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up 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 out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Numerous corporations inform us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the creators they engage with 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 test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Promotional expenditure on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than total media spending. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”