🔗 Share this article

Originally found over 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the modest tin of Vaseline might not appear as an clear candidate for digital platform 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 allocating substantial funds to content creators and devoting less capital to marketing items in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of content from users have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

Promoted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to stop the scourge of crisp flavouring sticking to fingers.

Leveraging the Buzz

Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks by asking their own scientists to test them and providing creators with the outcome data.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were validated. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could brighten smiles or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach

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

This observation of social channels to guide corporate planning has been dubbed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget 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 simply adapting to new ways of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without dampening the fun” was crucial.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and discussing household products.

“There’s this moving away from a broadcast model, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by users, mentioned by individuals, this builds credibility and connection. Creators are critical to that. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with the youth demographic spending more time on digital networks than traditional TV, print, or radio.

This change is evidenced by drops in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

This further signifies a media convergence as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with hundreds of content creators to promote their goods.

An industry expert from a leading 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 viewing scheduled television or reading physical magazines.

“Many companies report to us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also permits simpler message refinement to gauge performance.

The approach is growing. Marketing investment on digital creator partnerships is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. In the US, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit multi-billion dollar sums in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Regardless of the massive shift, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as broadcasters retained the power to shape the national conversation.

She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”