🔗 Share this article

First identified over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an clear candidate for digital platform algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in conventional outlets.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have recorded its extensive utilization in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for noisy doorways. 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 sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to guide corporate planning 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.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

A leading Unilever executive, who is leading the online push, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. 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 sharing usage tips.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by users, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with younger consumers spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

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

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.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Despite the huge changes, industry figures said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”