Vaseline, a 155-year-old heritage brand, is outperforming startups on TikTok. The petroleum jelly brand was formulated by a young chemist, Robert Chesebrough, who observed oil rig workers use the gooey residue to treat cuts and burns in 1870. Over time, Vaseline became a household staple around the world. Despite its century-old history and legacy, Vaseline is pioneering a new model of participatory marketing and communication. This represents a fundamental shift from making and promoting products to inviting communities and creators to inspire the brand’s future products.
The new Vaseline Originals (OGs) campaign turns community hacks into real products. It flips the traditional beauty product development process on its head by creating with the audience, not for them. At the heart of the campaign are two content creators who were among the early voices sharing hacks that helped shape the brand’s newest innovations. In 2008, beauty creator Jen Chae (@frmheadtotoe) shared a simple Vaseline brow tamer hack on her blog. Lauren Luke (@laurenluke_panacea81), one of YouTube’s earliest beauty creators, introduced her Vaseline primer hack. Almost two decades later, the hacks they shared have inspired actual Vaseline products. These include the Vaseline Brow Tamer, inspired by Jen Chae and Vaseline All-In-One Primer and Highlighter Jelly, inspired by Lauren Luke. Both products sold out within minutes during their TikTok Live debut on March 30, 2026, featuring the two content creators.
The campaign builds on Vaseline Verified, the brand’s award-winning effort that validated hacks shared by thousands and earned multiple Grand Prix awards, including the coveted Titanium Lion at Cannes Lions. More than 3.5 million Vaseline-related hacks were shared online. The new Vaseline Originals campaign shines a spotlight on the people behind some of the most popular hacks. The search for content creators behind other viral Vaseline hacks is ongoing. More individuals are set to be recognized and certified as Vaseline OGs, bringing more of the community into the brand’s future. The campaign aligns with parent company Unilever’s new marketing model, which aims to drive “desire at scale.” Last year, Unilever’s CEO, Fernando Fernandez, pledged that the company would increase its annual digital ad spend on social media, which includes influencers and content creators from 30% to 50% and work with 20 times as many influencers.
Nathalia Amadeu, global brand director, Vaseline at Unilever, says, “We truly see our content creators and communities as a source of inspiration and insight, and Vaseline OG takes participation a step further. We’re not only working with content creators as a sales channel, but their creativity is actively shaping products, and this is just the beginning,” in a Zoom interview. Amadeu continues, “We’re moving innovation out of the boardroom and into the community. The strongest ideas don’t start as slides, they emerge from creators and consumers, already pressure-tested in culture before they ever reach our labs.”
The Vaseline Originals campaign taps into a wider trend of brands shifting from top-down communication toward co-creation. Unlike previous generations, 74% of Gen-Z consider themselves content creators rather than just consumers. Becoming a YouTuber and TikTok creator are the two most popular dream jobs for Gen Alpha, ahead of doctor, entrepreneur and sports athlete. In short, young people no longer want to be passive consumers; they want to be active participants, shaping the future of brands. Recent examples include Dr Pepper turning an 11-second improvised jingle from TikTok creator Romeo Bingham (@romeosshow), which received 146 million views, into an official ad. Coach recently co-created the “Explore Your Story” campaign with Gen-Z communities from around the world. The campaign introduces 12 miniature, readable book charms based on titles chosen collaboratively with Gen-Z consumers. While brands like Dr Pepper and Coach are co-creating campaigns, Vaseline is moving further upstream, turning community ideas into actual products.
Today, creators and communities already comment on, interpret and reshape brands without asking for permission. Future-facing brands like Vaseline aren’t ignoring the new reality; they’re using the opportunity to invite communities to actively participate and inspire new products and business value. A sentiment perfectly summarized by Amadeu: “It’s no longer about owning the message; it’s about earning participation.” In the social media age, marketers no longer control the narrative. A brand is no longer what brands tell people, but what people tell brands.
