🔗 Share this article

First identified more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

Hailed as a solution for polishing footwear or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

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.

Suggestions that it lessened the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

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 tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Influencers are vital for this. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers devoting greater hours to digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a blurring of media roles 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 from conventional channels and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”