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Originally found more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the modest tin of Vaseline could hardly be considered an natural focus for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, seeing big businesses investing heavily in content creators and putting fewer resources into promoting products in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a derivative of drilling. Currently, a wave of content from users have recorded its extensive utilization in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, as well as a fix for noisy doorways. Users have even applied it to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Spotting its digital renaissance, executives at the multinational boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were validated. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or extend lashes were refuted.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Billboards and TV ads would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has helped convince executives to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to shape commercial tactics has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“The trend is shifting from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Now it’s many conversations, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to digital networks than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with compared to commercial messages. That’s a consistent trend.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by focusing on influencers over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also permits simpler message refinement to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is rising at quadruple the rate than the broader media sector. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as broadcasters retained the power to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still major broadcast spectacles. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”