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Originally found more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the humble pot of Vaseline could hardly be considered an clear candidate for online content feeds.

Nonetheless, its ascent as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an advertising revolution, in which large companies are spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to advertising goods in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who noticed oil rig workers using on their skin with a residue from oil extraction. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have chronicled its broad application in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a remedy for cleaning shoes or prolonging the scent of perfume, and also a remedy for creaky hinges. Users have even applied it to combat the nuisance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Leveraging the Buzz

Spotting its digital renaissance, strategists within the corporation enhanced the tricks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and letting the content creators in on the results.

Assertions that it diminished the sting of chili on the mouth were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could lengthen scent duration and restore leather handbags. Claims that it would whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. However, this online trend has led decision-makers to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to guide corporate planning has been termed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has suggested it is aiming to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content.

Evolving With Audience Behavior

The company's social media lead, who is heading the digital initiative, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? That’s always what we’ve been trying to do as brands, dating to when neighbors chatted over fences and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a one-to-many model, where we would just broadcast out … Today, it's numerous dialogues, various groups. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, but they’re not.

“Having your brand advocated by other people, recommended by peers, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Creators are critical to that. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Fundamental Consumption Turn

The strategy reflects profound shifts occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers spending more time on social media platforms than legacy broadcast and print media.

This change is evidenced by declines in broadcast and newspaper ads. Within the United Kingdom, commercial funding for leading TV channels have declined by over six hundred million pounds in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

It also reflects a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with hundreds of content creators to boost their products.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers from conventional channels and they’re spending a lot more time on digital video and image apps than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.

“Many companies report to us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the personalities they subscribe to over traditional advertisements. It's an ongoing shift.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by targeting content creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to see what works.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is rising at quadruple the rate than total media spending. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit tens of billions in 2025.

Traditional Media's Continued Place

Despite the huge changes, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to shape the national conversation.

The executive noted: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still the Super Bowl. It's not a matter of networks declaring: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”