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First identified over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline could hardly be considered an natural focus for online content feeds.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in traditional media.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were validated. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and rejuvenate purses. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or make eyelashes longer were refuted.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Billboards and TV ads would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has persuaded leaders to ramp up funding for content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was essential.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, since the era of community gossip and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, talked about by other people, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects seismic changes taking place in media consumption, with younger consumers allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in TV and print advertising. Across Britain, commercial funding for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with a multitude of digital creators to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. That’s a consistent trend.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on the creator economy is increasing four times faster 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.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to shape the national conversation.

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.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”