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As a product discovered over 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and reducing expenditure on marketing items in legacy broadcasters.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

First created commercially in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Harnessing the Hype

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

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. Similarly supported were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and revive leather bags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been labeled “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on digital creator content.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of engaging audiences. She said engaging on social media “without killing the party” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This remains our core objective as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“We are witnessing a departure from a one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Now it’s many conversations, diverse communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, talked about by other people, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

The approach indicates seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in TV and print advertising. In the UK, advertising income for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Rise of the Creator Economy

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers from conventional channels and their time is increasingly on social platforms like 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 individuals they follow more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by targeting content creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on the creator economy is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Regardless of the massive shift, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”