Videos of people filming themselves unboxing products they ordered online are flourishing on the internet.

You have certainly already seen them on your news feed on social networks or on Youtube and some of them achieve millions of views. These videos have a name: unboxing videos, and they can be a real marketing asset for your business!

Real trend or fad, what do these videos hide and how to use them for your business?

What is unboxing?

With more than 20 million Unboxing videos made on Youtube in 2020, this type of content is on the rise on the platform.

But what exactly is meant by Unboxing?

The principle is simple: A person films himself while he opens the shipping box of his product purchased on the internet. The latter unpacks the packaging in front of the lens and discovers the product that is nestled there. She describes her feelings live, expresses her excitement at the idea of seeing in real life the product she has coveted and we witness in front of our screen the first contact between the product and its customer.

Whether or not we are a fan of this kind of videos, it is clear that they have reached an audience looking for authenticity and testimonials.

The science behind unpackaging

Why does it work so well, you might ask?

Well, according to neuromarketing expert Martin Lindstrom, it’s partly thanks to mirror neurons, cells that activate in our brain when we watch someone perform an action. These cells make us feel exactly what the person feels, as if it were us.

An unboxing video allows us to feel the excitement and eagerness to open the product that the videographer feels and allows us to put ourselves in his shoes.

So we have virtually already felt the emotion of buying a product without having already done so, we are also and above all a little more emotionally attached to the brand.

We can understand then that these videos are a prodigious marketing tour de force and above all, a big sales catalyst for a business.

The different types of Unboxing

There are several types of Unboxing videos, each being more or less spontaneous and more or less technical in nature.

Unboxing videos “pleasure” versus unboxing videos “technical”

• In this video from the American channel dedicated to unboxing “Unboxing therapy”, the videographer presents a new gaming tablet and dissects each of its features to give the user a global vision of the product.

It is therefore a rather technical Unboxing, focused on the characteristics of the product, an unboxing that appeals to the profiles of people with an analytical mind, therefore, seeking above all performance, the latest in life.

• In this video of the French influencer “Stelle” (from 4min30) we see that the latter unwraps a bag of the brand Basile. She expresses her admiration for the details of the packaging and the quality of the product, she is ecstatic about the color of the bag and the little attentions of the designer made during the making etc.

We are facing a video of unboxing “pleasure”, or what counts above all is the emotion felt by the videographer during the unboxing experience.

Spontaneous unboxing videos vs. sponsored videos

We also distinguish spontaneous unboxing videos from those organized by companies.

The first are made voluntarily by fans for content creation or simply to express their opinions on a product, the second are bought by brands from influencers, either in exchange for the product or in exchange for remuneration.

We will see in the next chapter that even if most unboxing videos today are communication operations organized by brands, they still have a great impact on sales and on the image of the company with their targets.

Packaging, the ultimate branding step for your brand

As an entrepreneur selling products on the internet, it goes without saying that the points of contact with your customers are necessarily more limited than if you had a business that is well established.

Therefore, it is necessary to work on each of these touchpoints to make the shopping experience memorable.

When you buy in a store, all the senses are involved. The products are highlighted on shelves with beautiful light, we can see them, touch them, and even smell them if needed. Sellers can advise us and we leave with our product packaged in a small bag, ready to be used at home. The experience is global, sensory.

So how do you reproduce this experience and leave a lasting mark when first exposed to your product when selling via the internet?

Thanks to the packaging!

By creating a packaging that is pleasant to unpack, filled with small attentions and that conveys the image and values of your brand, you will create this little je ne sais quoi, this wow effect that will make your customers remember you and want to share their experience with others on social networks or on Youtube. To reproduce a unique experience similar to a purchase in store, optimize your package packaging.