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As a product discovered over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline may not seem like an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, in which large companies are investing heavily in content creators and reducing expenditure on promoting products in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a remedy for cleaning shoes or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for noisy doorways. Users have even applied it to stop the scourge of snack dust adhering to hands.

Harnessing the Hype

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

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 whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Print ads and broadcast spots 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, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was essential.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and sharing usage tips.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just send out ads … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by consumers, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences devoting greater hours to digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for leading TV channels have dropped substantially in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets 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 over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Even with this transformation, executives said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”