It is undeniable that luxury packaging creates an opportunity for social sharing and user-generated content. A Google search for the hashtag #unboxing shows 107 million results. And with almost all social channels now allowing users to upload and share their own video content, unboxing videos are no longer the exclusive domain of YouTube.
Unboxing videos are here to stay, and those images and videos shared on social media are likely to influence new customers to make a purchase.
At Hunter Luxury Packaging we’ve analysed thousands of unboxing videos to identify the 3 most important features that make luxury packaging a hit with unboxing videos. Beauty brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, ELEMIS and Sanctuary Spa are already benefiting from our understanding of how to leverage luxury packaging to help create stronger brand integrity. So without further ado, here they are!
Creating anticipation
The construction of a box is fundamental to achieving that unveiling effect in the unboxing video. Show too much of the product and the tension in the unveiling video is gone. Show too little and you risk boring the viewer. Lid and base boxes work well, especially if the boxes are deep enough to extend the time it takes for the lid to be removed and the product unveiled. Our most successful designs so far, however, have been wardrobe and draw-box construction. Charlotte Tilbury’s Advent Calendar was a definite social media hit with its individual drawers that serve to accentuate the sense of anticipation.
Appealing to all senses
The way the product is housed inside the box is key. Different packaging materials and techniques can give the product the perfect stage for that coveted Instagram-worthy look. And tissue paper is not the only alternative. Velvet, Flocked Vac and EVA foam covered with special papers are a few examples of packing alternatives available. And staging doesn’t have to stop at papers and inserts. The miniaturisation of technological gizmos allows the creation of real luxury stages that show your product in all its glory. Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood-inspired ‘Film Noir Nights’ gift box (produced by Hunter) has an LED lit mirror, that serves to convey the feeling of being in your own dressing room on some film set back in the 1940s. The lights are activated once the box lid is open so their battery life is extended for future use.
The gift that keeps giving
Packaging waste is well-known to cause people a good deal of concern and drive them to vent their anger online via their social media feeds. This is especially true of the millennial generation for whom the environment is an important aspect of their habits as consumers. Packaging design that enhances or encourages secondary use is also an important aspect to consider when designing luxury packaging for the social era. Tins and boxes that have been created with a clear function in mind are more likely to spur a millennial to shoot an unboxing video. Sanctuary Spa’s Salt Scrub jars are a sought-after gift both for the contents and the Kilner jars!
Hunter has a proven track record of delivering award-winning packaging solutions that are guaranteed to convert shoppers into brand advocates. Our products are rooted in customer journey insights across luxury retail categories. We use decades of production experience in our pursuit of the best materials, producers and technical innovations to uphold the brand experience. If you have any inquiries or want to know more, please contact Jo at jo@hunterluxury.com
