Unboxing

Originally, unboxing is simply the process of taking a product out of its packaging.

Today, when we use the term unboxing, we are talking more about an unboxing video, where the customer of a company films their unboxing and posts the video on Youtube (or other social networks).

At first glance, this concept sounds simple, but creating an unboxing experience is much more than that.

Today, consumers are particularly sensitive to a pleasant unboxing experience because it is often the first time they have physically touched your product.

Why are Unboxing Videos so Popular?

Unboxing videos are often featured in the top 10 most viewed Youtube videos of the week or month.

They make their way through the buzzing videos and music videos that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to shoot. In short, a real Youtube trend.

We all love to unbox a new product that we couldn’t wait to receive.

But why are so many people watching unboxing videos of products that other people have received?

Here are 3 major reasons in our opinion.

Passion for the Product or Brand

One of the main reasons is the proven enthusiasm for the product itself.

For example, the release of a new iPhone is an international event that many fans are eagerly watching. 

Sometime before the release, sometimes the day before, a few “privileged” people get their hands on the object of desire and make an unboxing video of it.

A Product without Artifice or Staging

On YouTube, an unboxing video depicts a real person and a real object. Even though it is the same product that we have seen and reviewed on the internet, on TV, and on posters, we can now finally see it in its natural state, free of special effects.

The unboxing video is a way to show off a coveted product in its most natural state, without artifice or staging.

Unboxing provides consumers with basic information that is often missing from traditional forms of advertising:

  • A real insight into size and shape
  • An overview of the appearance of the product under a normal lighting and without retouching
  • A product handled by a person like you and me

Arouse Anticipation

Part of the appeal of unboxing videos lies in the sense of anticipation they arouse, regardless of what is presented.

The success of unboxing videos may have its roots in home shopping channels, where products are viewed in a relaxed, detailed, and up-close manner

The unboxing craze on YouTube has been a revelation for brands.

Some have managed to create their unboxing videos, although biased.

However, an unboxing video is different from a review video and can more easily keep a neutral tone. To preserve some kind of authenticity, other brands sponsor YouTubers to do it for them.

Maybe unboxing videos give us a little more time and space in the click-buy age.

They allow people to consider their purchases, as we did in the old days when salespeople had the patience and pleasure to show us products and allow us to review them.

How to Make an Unboxing Video?

Start by making sure that the definition of your smartphone or camera is good. No one will watch an unboxing video on Youtube with grainy quality.

Note that depending on the broadcast channel of the unboxing video, the requirement and format are not the same:

  • A smartphone in vertical format is perfect for an Instagram Story while for a Youtube video, it is better to aim for higher quality, either a good smartphone in landscape format or a camera.
  • Same thing for the sound. It doesn’t have to be Dolby Digital 7.1, but you need to make sure that the microphone you are recording with can record good quality sound.
  • Also, make sure the video is stable. Use a tripod or stabilizer if you are holding your camera or smartphone in your hand.
  • Use an angle that will not interfere with a hand close to the lens, a shoulder, or the like.