How cardboard packaging radiates new charm in the era of social media
Welcome to the 'unboxing experience', which is an unexpected but growing trend that has attracted the attention of packaging professionals. Packaging companies use exposure to highlight their abilities, such as designing products that help customers generate anticipation and excitement among consumers.
The modern form of unboxing is generally believed to have become popular in 2005, after the birth of YouTube. A brief history of this trend describes it as a "strange but very popular pastime" that began to receive attention at the end of 2006, and videos "will only become increasingly popular". In 2014, Google revealed that the number of out of box video uploads on YouTube increased by 50% compared to the previous year, and the number of video views increased by 57% during this period, with over 1 billion views. Some people associate the resurgence of TikTok with its appearance at the end of 2016.
Many products from various industries have unboxing videos. Even monthly subscription boxes and meal boxes have their own unique features. Especially with the rise of e-commerce, more and more brands are looking for opportunities to showcase themselves, which comes from the unboxing experience.The Fiber Carton Association stated that cardboard packaging is the backbone of e-commerce. Packaging companies have fully accepted and fully utilized their role in these online purchases by launching customized transportation products for the industry.
The psychology behind unpacking suggests that this practice is closely related to human emotions. When influential people showcase themselves opening packages and encountering the products inside, expectations increase and adrenaline surges, which can be seen as tearing open gift wrapping or playing a digital version of the "show and tell" game.
Although unboxing videos initially focused primarily on influential people providing product impressions (usually for some compensation), this trend has evolved to also showcase packaging. Whether the video host intentionally describes the packaging or not, it will have an impact.
Carton printing used to be mainly placed outside, but the development of materials and machinery can now be carried out inside the cardboard box, pushing the possibility of consumer experience to new heights. Over the past decade, there has been an increasing use of digital printing technology suitable for packaging, which has been the main driving force behind the internal printing of cardboard boxes.
Digital printing sends digital files to printing machines that use inkjet printing instead of printing plates like flexographic or offset printing, allowing for faster and easier design adjustments, eliminating significant costs, and reducing waste by eliminating plate processing during design changes.
