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As a product discovered over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has thrust it into the lead of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

First created commercially in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers using on their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, along with a cure for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed 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 having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on platform-based material.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was crucial.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? 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.

“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 communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by users, mentioned by individuals, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Influencers are vital for this. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic devoting greater hours to social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, advertising income for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, linking up with hundreds of content creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“A lot of brands are telling us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to see what works.

The approach is growing. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, experts said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to frame public debate.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”