🔗 Share this article ‘Social Listening’: Unilever Seeks to Capitalise On Vaseline’s Social Media Breakthrough. First identified over 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the humble pot of Vaseline may not seem like an obvious target for online content feeds. However, its rise as a popular subject on TikTok has positioned it at the vanguard of an marketing transformation, where major corporations are spending big on content creators and devoting less capital to promoting products in traditional media. The Path from Petroleum to Platforms The petroleum jelly was first manufactured in the 1870s by scientist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers applying to their skin with a derivative of drilling. Today, a spree of user-generated videos have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”. Hailed as a solution for polishing footwear or extending perfume longevity, along with a cure for noisy doorways. It has even been deployed to stop the scourge of snack dust adhering to hands. Harnessing the Hype Spotting its digital renaissance, marketers at Unilever boosted the tips by tasking their in-house experts with verification and providing creators with the outcome data. Assertions that it diminished the burn from hot food on the lips were given the thumbs up. So too were ideas it could prolong perfume and revive leather bags. Suggestions it could whiten teeth or lengthen eyelashes were debunked. The ‘Digital Ear’ Approach Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have formed the bulk of its promotional efforts. Yet this viral episode has led decision-makers to dramatically increase investment in content creators. This observation of social channels to shape commercial tactics has been dubbed “social listening”. The company's chief executive, freshly instated, has indicated the goal is to spend 50% of its massive marketing spend on digital creator content. Evolving With Audience Behavior A leading Unilever executive, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was simply adapting to new ways of reaching consumers. She said interacting online “without spoiling the atmosphere” was paramount. “What is the key to genuine brand integration? 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 mass communication approach, where we would just send out ads … Currently, it's countless discussions, various groups. The evolution of platform algorithms means that these communities feel niche, yet they are vast. “Ensuring your product is discussed by consumers, mentioned by individuals, that fosters reliability and pertinence. Creators are critical to that. This word-of-mouth strategy is being amplified.” A Fundamental Consumption Turn This plan mirrors dramatic transformations happening in audience habits, with Gen Z and millennial audiences allocating more attention to digital networks than television, magazines or radio. The transition is visible in declines in traditional media advertising. In the UK, ad revenues for major broadcasters have declined by over six hundred million pounds in actual value since the end of the last decade. The Creator Economy Boom Additionally, it points to a blurring of media roles as brands effectively act as media producers, linking up with numerous influencers to boost their products. An industry expert from a leading 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 watching live TV or reading print. “Numerous corporations inform us audiences believe endorsements from the personalities they subscribe to more than they trust ads. This is a persistent pattern.” He said brands could also save money by investing in creators over big traditional media campaigns, which also enables easier content adjustment to test effectiveness. The approach is growing. Marketing investment on the creator economy is increasing four times faster than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has over doubled since 2021 and is projected to reach multi-billion dollar sums in 2025. Traditional Media's Continued Place Despite the huge changes, experts said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as broadcasters retained the power to frame public debate. She added: “One of the highest return-on-investment media opportunities is still the Super Bowl. The issue isn't broadcasters claiming: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … I believe there is absolutely a role for them.”