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First identified more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for online content feeds.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has thrust it into the lead of an advertising revolution, seeing big businesses spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of amateur-created clips have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, newly named, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on social media 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 reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without killing the party” was essential.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates profound shifts happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in TV and print advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in real terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention from conventional channels and they’re spending a lot more time on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us people trust recommendations from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. That’s a consistent trend.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Promotional expenditure on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than the media industry overall. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”