‘Social Listening’: The Consumer Goods Giant Looks to Exploit Vaseline’s Social Media Breakthrough.
Originally found more than 150 years ago within a Pennsylvania drilling site, the simple jar of Vaseline may not seem like an natural focus for online content feeds.
Yet the brand’s emergence as a viral TikTok topic has placed it at the forefront of an marketing transformation, in which large companies are allocating substantial funds to content creators and reducing expenditure on marketing items in traditional media.
From Oil Rigs to Online Hacks
Originally produced in the 1870s by chemist Robert Cheeseborough, who observed drillers rubbing their skin with a byproduct of the drilling process. Today, a spree of amateur-created clips have recorded its extensive utilization in “everyday tips”.
Hailed as a fix for dirty sneakers or extending perfume longevity, as well as a fix for creaky hinges. Its use has even extended to combat the nuisance of snack dust adhering to hands.
Harnessing the Hype
Detecting the product’s new life online, executives at the multinational amplified the hacks by tasking their in-house experts with verification and sharing the findings with influencers.
Claims that Vaseline reduced the burn from hot food on the lips were given the thumbs up. Similarly supported were ideas it could extend fragrance and restore leather handbags. Proposals that it might bleach teeth or extend lashes were debunked.
The ‘Social Listening’ Strategy
Outdoor advertising and television commercials would once have been the cornerstone of its marketing push. However, this online trend has helped convince executives to ramp up funding for content creators.
This monitoring of online platforms to inform business strategy has been termed “social listening”. Fernando Fernández, recently appointed, has stated the intention is to spend half of its colossal advertising budget on social media content.
Adapting to New Consumer Habits
Selina Sykes, who is spearheading the social media effort, said the company was merely adjusting to novel methods of reaching consumers. She said engaging on social media “without killing the party” was crucial.
“How can companies join discussions credibly? This has perpetually been our aim as brands, since the era of community gossip and sharing usage tips.
“We are witnessing a departure from a mass communication approach, where we would just broadcast out … Currently, it's countless discussions, many communities. The shift of the algorithms means that these audiences appear specific, yet they are vast.
“Having your brand advocated by consumers, recommended by peers, this builds credibility and connection. Influencers are vital for this. We’re really scaling this advocacy model.”
A Fundamental Consumption Turn
The approach indicates dramatic transformations taking place in media consumption, with the youth demographic spending more time on apps like TikTok and Instagram than legacy broadcast and print media.
The transition is visible in falling revenues for traditional media advertising. In the UK, commercial funding for leading TV channels have fallen by more than £600m in real terms since 2019.
Influencer Marketing Expansion
This further signifies a blurring of media roles as corporations essentially turn into content studios, collaborating with a multitude of digital creators to enhance their items.
An industry expert from a leading agency said: “Naturally, an exodus of attention out of certain traditional media outlets and their time is increasingly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube than they are consuming linear broadcasts or printed matter.
“A lot of brands are telling us audiences believe endorsements from the creators they engage with over traditional advertisements. This is a persistent pattern.”
He said brands could also save money by targeting content creators over large-scale legacy ad buys, which also allows them to tweak their content more easily to gauge performance.
Such methods are increasing. Advertising spending on influencer marketing is growing fourfold quicker than the media industry overall. Across the United States, it has more than doubled since 2021 and is forecast to attain substantial figures in 2025.
TV's Lasting Role
Even with this transformation, executives said they believed TV advertising still had a prominent role to play, as networks still held the capability to frame public debate.
She added: “A top-tier ROI marketing event is still events like the Super Bowl. It’s not about those broadcasters saying: ‘Oh, we’re not relevant any more.’ The focus is on who seizes focus … There is undoubtedly a future for traditional media.”