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

Originally found more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline might not appear as an natural focus for social media algorithms.

Yet the brand’s emergence as a popular subject on TikTok has placed it at the forefront of an advertising revolution, where major corporations are allocating substantial funds to content creators and putting fewer resources into marketing items in traditional media.

The Path from Petroleum to Platforms

Originally produced in the 1870s by a chemist, Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have documented the product’s widespread use in “practical tricks”.

It has been touted as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, and also a remedy for squeaky doors. Its use has even extended to prevent the annoyance of snack dust adhering to hands.

Capitalising on the Conversation

Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever enhanced the tricks by asking their own scientists to test them and sharing the findings with influencers.

Claims that Vaseline reduced the sensation of spicy food on lips were confirmed. This was also the case for ideas it could lengthen scent duration and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or make eyelashes longer were debunked.

A Plan Built on ‘Social Listening’

Print ads and broadcast spots would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. But the Vaseline phenomenon has persuaded leaders to dramatically increase investment in content creators.

This tracking of digital spaces to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, newly named, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on platform-based material.

Adapting to New Consumer Habits

The company's social media lead, who is leading the online push, said the company was just evolving with contemporary approaches of reaching consumers. She said participating on platforms “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount.

“How can companies join discussions credibly? 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.

“The trend is shifting from a one-to-many model, where we would just transmit messages … Currently, it's countless discussions, diverse communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast.

“If you can make sure your brand is shared by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Content makers are key. We are expanding this endorsement system.”

A Seismic Media Shift

This plan mirrors seismic changes occurring in how media is consumed, with younger consumers allocating more attention to apps like TikTok and Instagram than traditional TV, print, or radio.

The shift is reflected in declines in traditional media advertising. Across Britain, advertising income for primary networks have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade.

Influencer Marketing Expansion

Additionally, it points to a merging of functions as brands effectively act as media producers, partnering with numerous influencers to promote their goods.

Leon Harlow said: “Obviously there’s a flow of audiences from conventional channels and they are dedicating far more hours to social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are watching live TV or reading print.

“A lot of brands are telling us consumers have more faith in suggestions from the individuals they follow over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”

He noted companies can reduce costs by investing in creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to see what works.

This strategy is expanding. Advertising spending on digital creator partnerships is growing fourfold quicker than the broader media sector. Across the United States, it has increased by over 100% since 2021 and is expected to hit substantial figures in 2025.

TV's Lasting Role

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

Sykes said: “Among the most effective advertising investments is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ It concerns who commands eyeballs … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”