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As a product discovered more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into advertising goods in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of chip seasoning clinging to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, strategists within the corporation boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. This was also the case for ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Proposals that it might brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

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 monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has suggested it is aiming to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was essential.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do 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 broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, talked about by other people, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The approach indicates seismic changes 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 drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. In the UK, ad revenues for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a merging of functions as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers out of certain traditional media outlets and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. It's an ongoing shift.”

He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to test effectiveness.

Such methods are increasing. Promotional expenditure on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. In the US, it has over doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Even with this transformation, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to shape the national conversation.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still 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.”