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Originally found more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an clear candidate for online content feeds.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are allocating substantial funds to content creators and reducing expenditure on advertising goods in legacy broadcasters.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Suggestions that it lessened the burn from hot food on the lips were confirmed. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. Yet this viral episode has persuaded leaders to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, 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 spearheading the social media effort, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said interacting online “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just transmit messages … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, yet they are vast.

“Having your brand advocated by users, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates seismic changes happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences spending more time on social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, advertising income for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow 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 watching live TV or reading print.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

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

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.

She added: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still major broadcast spectacles. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”