‘Digital Eavesdropping’: Unilever Seeks to Capitalise On Vaseline’s Viral TikTok Trend.

As a product discovered more than 150 years ago in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, the simple jar of Vaseline might not appear as an obvious target for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a TikTok talking point has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in traditional media.

From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks

Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Now, a flood of content from users have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

Hailed as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Detecting the product’s new life online, strategists within the corporation amplified the hacks by having their research teams evaluate the claims and providing creators with the outcome data.

Suggestions that it lessened the sensation of spicy food on lips were given the thumbs up. This was also the case for ideas it could prolong perfume and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might whiten teeth or extend lashes were refuted.

The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy

Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.

This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. Unilever's CEO, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend a full fifty percent of its huge ad budget on platform-based material.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

Selina Sykes, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of engaging audiences. She said participating on platforms “without killing the party” was paramount.

“How do brands authentically become part of the conversation? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, back to when people were hanging out their laundry and talking about what they used.

“There’s this moving away from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these groups seem specialized, however, they are large.

“Having your brand advocated by users, talked about by other people, that is how you can build trust and relevance. Content makers are key. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.”

A Seismic Media Shift

The strategy reflects dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic spending more time on digital networks than legacy broadcast and print media.

The shift is reflected in falling revenues for TV and print advertising. Within the United Kingdom, ad revenues for primary networks have fallen by more than £600m in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019.

The Creator Economy Boom

This further signifies a merging of functions as large companies almost become production houses themselves, partnering with numerous influencers to enhance their items.

A commercial director at a major talent agency said: “Clearly, there is a migration of viewers from conventional channels and they are dedicating far more hours to digital video and image apps than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the individuals they follow more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.”

He added firms may also cut expenditures by investing in creators over expensive broadcast campaigns, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to see what works.

The approach is growing. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Stateside, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach tens of billions in 2025.

The Enduring Power of Broadcast

Despite the huge changes, industry figures said they believed broadcast ads retained significant importance to play, as TV channels continued to possess the influence to drive countrywide discourse.

The executive noted: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still major broadcast spectacles. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘We are no longer pertinent.’ It’s about who’s capturing attention … I think there’s 100% a place for them.”