🔗 Share this article

As a product discovered more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in traditional media.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have documented the product’s widespread use in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and providing creators with the outcome data.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on digital creator content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of reaching consumers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective 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 broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, 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 media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the individuals they follow compared to commercial messages. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Regardless of the massive shift, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”