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Originally found more than 150 years ago on a Pennsylvania oilfield, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an promotional upheaval, seeing big businesses allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to promoting products in legacy broadcasters.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who saw laborers applying to their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”.

Promoted as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. It has even been deployed to combat the nuisance of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Noticing its viral resurgence, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks 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 confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could lengthen scent duration and rejuvenate purses. Claims that it would brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were disproven.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. Yet this viral episode has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to inform business strategy has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

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

“What is the key to genuine brand integration? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and discussing household products.

“The trend is shifting from a broadcast model, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these groups seem specialized, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, talked about by other people, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Influencers are vital for this. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors dramatic transformations occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

The transition is visible in drops in TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, advertising income for major broadcasters have dropped substantially in real terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with numerous influencers to boost their products.

Leon Harlow said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers away from some legacy media and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Many companies report to us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.”

He said brands could also save money by focusing on influencers over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to gauge performance.

This strategy is expanding. Marketing investment on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than total media spending. In the US, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

Sykes said: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”