MAM
Vaseline embraces ‘Basseline’ trend after pronunciation joke goes viral
Korean creator’s ‘Baseline’ pronunciation sparks memes before Vaseline joins the social trend
MUMBAI: Sometimes a brand does not need a new formula to make a splash; a new pronunciation will do just fine. Vaseline has found itself at the centre of a social media trend after Korean skincare creator Min Day Lee referred to the brand as “Baseline” while showing her collection of products.
What started as a pronunciation slip quickly became a social media staple, with users repeating “Baseline”, turning it into memes, remixes and user-generated content. The joke then took another turn, becoming “Bassline” as it travelled across platforms and beyond skincare conversations.
Lee later explained that the pronunciation was influenced by the difficulty of producing the English “V” sound in Korean, where it can sound closer to “B”. Rather than let the internet have all the fun, Vaseline decided to play along.
Vaseline India joined the trend with an Instagram post declaring, “We gave you Vaseline. You gave us Basseline. No notes,” while inviting users to create their own versions. Participants were asked to tag @vaselineindia and use #VaselineHijacked, with standout entries set to be recognised as official “Vaseline-Verified Hijack Icons”.
The brand has since recognised Lee and other creators associated with the trend under the same title, turning what began as a pronunciation joke into a wider creator-led social campaign.
The trend also crossed borders, with Vaseline’s UK account getting in on the joke. In a tongue-in-cheek Instagram statement, the brand announced an immediate “rebrand” to Baseline, claiming the decision followed an “extensive review” clarified as approximately one video watched more than 1 million times.
The post added that the product itself remains unchanged: “Same tub. Same jelly.” The brand also pointed to its 150-year history, noting that Vaseline has been pronounced and adapted differently across markets.
Rather than treating the altered pronunciation as a mistake, the brand has reframed it as a sign of how far the product has travelled. In the process, a single changed letter has turned into a global social media gag and given Vaseline a rather unexpected new Bassline to follow.
