Vaseline is the world famous, trusted skin healer. A pot of petroleum jelly can be found in practically every home on the planet and has been an iconic skin saviour for over 150 years.

But today, its resurgence is happening in an unexpected place: social media. Users and creators have rediscovered Vaseline through viral “hacks” on TikTok/IG, showcasing everything from slugging to makeup removal, generating billions of views.

Vaseline finds itself at the centre of this viral phenomenon, fuelling an unofficial, yet thriving world of user-generated 'hacks'.

While many of these hacks are inventive and inspiring, others veer into unsafe territory: using Vaseline for teeth whitening, inside eyes, or ingesting it, and most alarmingly, 1 in 5 users admit to using Vaseline Jelly for sex, which is unsafe.

This opened a critical gap. As the brand synonymous with petroleum jelly, Vaseline had a responsibility to step in; credibly and in a platform-native way.

Vaseline Verified is our timely intervention on social. By validating safe hacks and debunking misinformed ones through scientific testing and direct creator engagement, delivered in a true social-platform-native manner, the campaign allowed Vaseline to reassert authority in category and in culture.

Vaseline Verified did not just correct misinformation, it redefined how a heritage brand shows up in a creator-led world.

Social media fuels a thriving, yet potentially misinformed world of user-generated Vaseline ‘hacks’. These viral uses of petroleum jelly are inventive, ingenious, but not always safe or effective, like ‘using Vaseline for better sex’.

Our response: “Vaseline Verified”—a breakthrough idea that transformed anecdotal trends into scientifically validated truths.

For the first time, our scientists tested viral hacks in the lab, to verify or debunk them.

When a hack worked, the Verified status was shared directly with the hack creator, rewarding their ingenuity with the Vaseline Verified badge and exclusive commerce opportunities and coveted trophies.

"Vaseline Verified" became the ultimate seal of hack safety, and made it an official use.

This breakthrough approach transcended conventional brand work by directly engaging creators. Our unexpected intervention positioned our voice firmly at the centre of this world of hacks, making the Verified status something that armed this thriving community with the right information.

Vaseline Verified achieved a brand social record 63.3M+ total interactions.

At launch, tailored Verification responses on TikTok/ Instagram to 17 creators generated 3.3M+ views within 3 weeks.

Top creators outperformed platform benchmarks with <10% engagement rate (4.07% on TikTok, source: Brandwatch).

At peak we engaged 450+ creators.

We capitalised on cultural moments, with real-time social responses to the Oscars' Glambot Lens hack from Cole Walliser, which drove a +1,293% surge in 'Vaseline hack' mentions.

And responded directly to a Flamin’ Hot Doritos hack which resulted in an official collaboration that featured on packs.

Ultimately, Vaseline Verified cemented brand superiority, and ensured safer social discovery of Vaseline hacks and intervened to debunk misinformation for audience.

+13.9% Retail sales value growth in a 1 month period.

+43% Underlying Sales Growth on ecomm combined channels in a 1 month period.

7.1m organic views + reach.