- Unboxing videos get billions of views
- These videos allow a better understanding of products before we purchase
- The pandemic had a massive impact on the genre
- Do not expect unboxing videos to go anywhere anytime soon
Unboxing videos are a viral phenomenon, but what exactly keeps viewers coming back for more?
What do the content creators @mesijesibeauty, @eleventhgorgeous, and @jasoncoffee have in common?
They all make unboxing videos that millions of people watch.
Unboxing videos were still niche and backyard on YouTube in the 2000s, but they have mainstreamed dramatically since then.
In fact, last November, YouTube reported its visitors had racked up 25 billion views of videos with “unboxing” in the title for that year alone.
Let’s not forget Tik Tok, Instagram, and all the rest either….
Viewing unboxing videos is a fantastic way to get a sense of what an interesting product is all about. Experiencing unboxing for ourselves is also an essential aspect of how we consume our favorite products today – whether it’s a new jumper, a set of headphones, a bottle of wine, or a bottle of perfume.
Read on to learn more about the increasingly essential role unboxing plays in how we consume products today.
JOURNEY’s packaging, which is 99% recyclable - is designed to deliver seamless unboxing experiences.
What Makes an Unboxing Experience Enjoyable?
The unboxing experience begins the moment your package arrives at your doorstep. Research from Ipsos and the Paper and Packaging Board found that almost three quarters (72%) of consumers’ buying choices are influenced by the design of a package. Premium materials, sleek designs, and distinctive branding elements (including stickers, embossing, inserted thank you notes and samples) are all part of the recipe for a package that makes a great first impression.
Packaging presentation is paramount to a memorable unboxing experience but packaging needs to be functional too. Sustainable packaging leader DS Smith previously found that 92% of consumers it polled reported frustration with packaging. Survey respondents stated that packaging elements such as blister packs, cable ties, and tape all caused headaches. Research also indicates that we are inclined to think more highly of products if we unbox them from premium quality packaging.
Minimalistic packaging is often used on modern products and gets straight to the point – as seen with our AXIE
Many popular unboxing videos are fully-fledged productions today.
COVID-19's Impact on Unboxing
The pandemic made everyone more reliant on e-commerce. Between 2020-2022, Americans alone spent $1.7 trillion on online shopping, including consumer electronics, fashion, and grocery items. Consumer appetite for better unboxing experiences consequently intensified. In turn, brands had to step up their packaging to stand out from the other brands who were stepping up theirs.
All this has oxygenated the unboxing phenomenon. Today, consumers are gravitating to unboxing experiences to be surprised, delighted, and a lot more. In fact, TedX Pune focused on “unbox” as its 2023 theme. It postulated that the universal appeal of unboxing speaks to its transformative and exploratory power, and its capacity to resonate with people’s innate desire to stay up to date, learn, and grow.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the population was yearning for comfort synonymous with everyday experiences, unboxing a well-packaged product meant a moment of delight and normalcy in uncertain times too.
JOURNEY’s Prime Day Celebration Sale items unboxed.
What Makes Unboxing Videos So Viral?
Influencers like iJustine, MKBHD and Unbox Therapy have become immensely famous, thanks to their contribution to the unboxing cultural phenomenon.
But what exactly do their videos do to proliferate the phenomenon?
Firstly, they produce videos that let you vicariously experience the excitement and satisfaction of unboxing without having to purchase the product you’re curious about.
Their videos are also windows into the specific details consumers want to know about products before they purchase. Leading unboxing videos provide valuable information about packaging, product quality, and included accessories. Consumers can depend on this content to make informed purchasing decisions.
Research and innovation consultancy, Conifer Research, elaborates further. It observes that unboxing reveals a range of insights into how we experience the products we’re interested in.
Unboxing videos are our virtual windows to learn:
- Consumers’ first impressions of a product
- If the product meets consumers’ expectations or assumptions
- If consumers experience delight or dread during the unboxing experience
- What consumers notice about the packaging
- If the packaging is functional and user-friendly
- If consumers engage with the packaging instructions, or discard it
- If the setup and onboarding experience is intuitive and user-friendly.
“Unboxing videos have been around for some time and don’t look like they’re going anywhere.”
What's Involved in Creating Attractive Packaging?
At JOURNEY, our packaging process involves internal collaboration between product managers, graphic designers, marketers, copywriters, 3D artists, and industrial designers. We are also continually factoring in partnerships with external stakeholders including suppliers, consumers, creators, media industry, and more.
One concept of packaging design that reveals what’s involved in creating attractive packaging is the 4C Principles of Packaging Design – Clarity, Creativity, Consistency, and Consumer-Centricity:
Clarity: The best packaging includes visual clarity, targeted messaging, and precise essential information.
Creativity: Products make big impressions when they arrive in creative packaging that’s designed to tell a product story and engage consumers in an interactive unboxing experience. One good example of this is Soulful Fine Robusta, a coffee collection designed by Fins Studio. It features four distinct illustrations for four different coffee types (Vietnamese Phin, Espresso, Cold Brew, and Brewing), each highlighting coffee cultivation in the central highlands of Vietnam and portraying the local culture and people.
Packaging that tells a story.
Consistency: Brands achieve consistent packaging by producing uniform visual elements – logos, typography, images, and color palettes – and on-brand narratives that portray a product’s inherent values.
Consumer-centricity: Leading brands focus their packaging strategy on the values their target audience attributes to packaging.
Beautiful packaging also comprises high-quality materials that simultaneously ensure the product is well-protected during transit. Sustainable and eco-friendly materials are increasingly important to environmentally conscious consumers too.
The design should be visually appealing and functional. Easy-to-open packaging, secure compartments, and clear instructions contribute to a hassle-free unboxing experience.
Enhancing Packaging in Unboxing Videos
Unboxing channels have turned to studio-like production
To enhance the appeal of product packaging during unboxing videos, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved today.
In the halcyon days of unboxing videos, user-generated content produced by everyday product fans with no production acumen was more common. That didn’t necessarily represent product packaging in the best light, however.
Today, on the other hand, expert unboxing video production is booming. Many brands continue to strive for user-generated authenticity, but the content needs to hit professional standards too.
An engaging unboxing video today might rate high in all the following categories:
- Meticulous pacing
- Quality scripting
- High-standard video editing with industry software such as Adobe Premiere Pro
- Full-time or part-time influencers/creator as subjects
- Excellent lighting, mics, and tripod
- Excellent videography
Unboxing Isn’t Going Anywhere
Unboxing is a powerful form of marketing to attract customer interest in products.
As online shopping continues to boom, so does the value of well-crafted unboxing experiences.
Whether it’s allowing us to get an idea of what we’re about to purchase, or connecting us to solid entertainment, unboxing remains valuable guidance in many of our consumer journeys.
Unbox JOURNEY’s top products. Find them reduced by up to 40% as part of our Prime Day Celebration Sale.
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