🔗 Share this article

First identified more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for social media algorithms.

However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has thrust it into the lead of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in traditional media.

A Journey from Drilling to Digital

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “everyday tips”.

Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or making fragrance last longer, along with a cure for noisy doorways. Its use has even extended to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Detecting the product’s new life online, marketers at Unilever enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and letting the content creators in on the results.

Suggestions that it lessened the sting of chili on the mouth were confirmed. So too were ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or lengthen eyelashes were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to turbocharge spending on content creators.

This monitoring of online platforms to guide corporate planning has been labeled “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has stated the intention is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on social media content.

Shifting to Modern Engagement

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

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and sharing usage tips.

“There’s this moving away from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, diverse communities. Changes in digital feeds means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by other people, recommended by peers, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

This plan mirrors seismic changes happening in audience habits, with the youth demographic spending more time on social media platforms than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in TV and print advertising. Across Britain, 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

This further signifies a blurring of media roles as large companies almost become production houses themselves, linking up with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences away from some legacy media 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.

“Numerous corporations inform us people trust recommendations from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by targeting content creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to test effectiveness.

This strategy is expanding. Promotional expenditure on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than total media spending. Stateside, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed television commercials still played a key part to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”