🔗 Share this article

As a product discovered more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a viral TikTok topic has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in conventional outlets.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. It has even been deployed to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Detecting the product’s new life online, strategists within the corporation boosted the tips by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have dominated Unilever’s advertising drive. Yet this viral episode has led decision-makers to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of connecting with customers. She said engaging on social media “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and sharing usage tips.

“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just transmit messages … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Revolutionary Change in Media

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations happening in audience habits, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than television, magazines or radio.

This change is evidenced by falling revenues for traditional media advertising. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

The Creator Economy Boom

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.

An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention away from some legacy media 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 people trust recommendations from the individuals they follow over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

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.

The approach is growing. Promotional expenditure on the creator economy is increasing four times faster than total media spending. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

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.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Our relevance has faded.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”