what “unboxing” videos have to do with product packaging
The first unboxing video to be streamed online is a 2006 video of an IT team opening the package of a Nokia E61 phone. Compared to modern unboxing videos, this one is low-definition and quite unexciting. Be that as it may, with improving technology came improved videos displaying it. Today’s unboxing videos are high quality, high attention to details, and most importantly – high exposure.
The unavoidable result of unboxing videos becoming as popular as they are is that companies must up their packaging game. As the online attention to packaging grows in terms of appearance, convenience, sustainability, and experience, so does expectation from brands to produce high-quality packaging. Expectations are high to provide packaging that impacts the product experience in a positive way.
A viral unboxing video could mean the difference between consumers choosing one brand’s product over any other. Google’s consumer insights state that in many cases, a consumer’s decision to purchase a specific product relies on their ability to watch a video describing it. Watching unboxing videos prior to purchase serves two decision-making angles. In terms of intelligent decision-making, consumers are made aware of the exact product they stand to purchase – what’s included in the package, how the product is used, and what it looks like. On the emotional front, viewers strive to experience what the creator is experiencing in opening the product packaging. The better the experience a creator displays, the higher the consumer’s expectations. Having well-designed packaging for your product means more online exposure. Viral videos are often perceived as being of higher quality, lending another hand to a product’s exposure.
Unboxing videos, and influencers videos in general, use the interaction between viewer and creator to convey an unwritten message as to the quality of the product. All parts of the packaging are crucial for a positive message – the packaging materials, design, contents, and ease of use. Brands who identify the trend can easily take advantage and reap the benefits of high-quality packaging resulting in high engagement unboxing videos.
We couldn’t possibly end an unboxing article without this ingenious unboxing video (from space!) with over four million views.