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Originally found over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an promotional upheaval, where major corporations are investing heavily in content creators and devoting less capital to promoting products in conventional outlets.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Currently, a wave of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “life hacks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and sharing the findings with influencers.

Suggestions that it lessened the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Claims that it would bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, 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 has perpetually been our aim as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, talked about by other people, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in TV and print advertising. Across Britain, ad revenues for major broadcasters have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a merging of functions as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media 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 consumers have more faith in suggestions from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. Stateside, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Regardless of the massive shift, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”