Christmas is almost a year away. But that doesn’t mean you have to forgo the excitement of unwrapping presents until next December. You can relive the thrill of tearing into a gift any day of the year and share that enthusiasm with customers through an unboxing video.
Thinking Outside the Box
Who doesn’t love to receive a care package? Unboxing is unwrapping by proxy and the unboxing video has become very popular online. Typically, someone is shown opening a package for the first time and discovering or reviewing what’s inside. According to Yahoo Finance, the first unboxing video featured a Nokia cellphone in 2006.
In early videos, people could be seen geeking out over the latest tech on sites like unbox.it and unboxing.com Although tech isn’t the top subject for unboxing (more below), it’s still very popular. Any time there’s a new iPhone released or any new Apple product, or gaming console, you’ll see an uptick in these videos.
Toys & Tech are Tops
If a product comes in a box, there’s probably an associated video. Popular products include make-up, food, and fan art. Luxury unboxing allows viewers to experience the lives of the rich and famous vicariously. Think high-end products wrapped in luxe layers. Consider this clip from Love Actually that would have made a great unboxing video for some lucky recipient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3rB_qx0wRM
The most popular unboxing videos involve toys. In 2017, Ryan ToysReview was the 9th highest paid YouTuber, pulling in $11M. Ryan is a CHILD. He was six for most of 2017. In 2018 he was listed as the highest paid YouTuber bringing in $22M of revenue from his videos and his product line at Walmart. He currently has 17 million subscribers and his videos have 26 billion views. There is some controversy over whether these videos are just gross commercialism aimed at children. Save the Children even turned the idea of unboxing on its head with this campaign.
Tech is next in line when it comes to the popularity of unboxing videos. In fact, the top earner for this type of video is from Canada. Torontonian Lewis Hilsenteger does tech reviews on his YouTube channel Unbox Therapy. Forbes even named him a top tech and business influencer in 2017. This Unbox Therapy video posted last month has 2.6 million views and climbing.
Cashing In
Unboxing videos are great for building hype and showing a product in a favourable light. More and more people are buying online and unboxing videos can take the place of an in-store demo. Seeing someone use a product can be a better endorsement than solo photos of the product. It’s another level of reassurance for a consumer who’s looking to buy. Plus, you can capitalize on the excitement of a sneak peek.
Pay attention to what your customers are saying by watching their unboxing videos for feedback. They’re experiencing your product from the moment they receive the box—see what works and what you can work on. You can also watch competitor videos and possibly be inspired by what they’re doing. And don’t forget that any new video is a way to get fresh content onto your site, which will boost your SEO.
Unboxing Video Options
Unboxing has become big business with sponsorships, giveaways, and shout outs. Customize a video based on whether you choose to unbox your own product, have an influencer do the reveal, or show a customer diving in. Doing your own video gives you control over what you’re promoting and how you’re promoting it. Try including a giveaway or reveal some behind-the-scenes info about a new product. Ask your customers to post their unboxing videos or even send an unsuspecting and loyal client a free gift to unbox. If you’re recruiting an influencer, make sure they’re a good match with your product. Viewers have grown to trust this person’s opinion on whatever they’re unboxing, so their reaction and review carry weight.
Don’t forget that at the root of unboxing is the FUN of the process! The person on-camera should be excited to discover what’s in the box, inspiring the audience to feel the same way. Even this IKEA video that parodies the unboxing craze does so in an engaging way.
Some Numbers
Think with Google has this crazy stat to ponder: The amount of time people have spent watching unboxing videos just on their phones is the equivalent of watching the holiday classic Love Actually more than 20 million times. And an October 2018 analysis of 3000 uploaded haul and unboxing videos revealed some interesting stats. Although toys are the most popular thing to unbox, the next five categories are all tech-related: phones, tablets, gaming consoles, cameras and watches. Brands like Apple, Samsung, Google and Sony got top mentions. Although Canadians only represent 3% of the users in this analysis, we represented the most views per user.
Unbox Your Potential
Does your company have something to unbox? Try this wildly popular video format to reveal a new product or service and build excitement with your audience. If you need some guidance to put your video together, we’re here to help. Give us a call today for a free quote.
