🔗 Share this article

First identified more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar 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 advertising revolution, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Currently, a wave of content from users 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 creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of connecting with customers. She said engaging on social media “without dampening the fun” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Currently, it's countless discussions, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors profound shifts taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

The transition is visible in falling revenues for broadcast and newspaper ads. Across Britain, ad revenues for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a media convergence as corporations essentially turn into content studios, linking up with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences from conventional channels and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube 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. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by targeting content creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on the creator economy is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”