As we approach the holidays, with the unboxing appeal on YouTube and Instagram and influencers driving consumers’ decisions to purchase, there is no doubt packaging is changing the face of ecommerce.

Shining the light on how high-quality packaging will deliver excitement after an anticipated delivery, what is it about unboxing videos that hook us as customers? Here are four ways packaging can power the “unboxing” event.

1. Use popular colors

Recently, the “in” color has been Millennial Pink, believed to be inspired by iconic director Wes Anderson’s use of pink in Grand Budapest Hotel or a variant of Apple’s rose-gold iPhone. Popular amongst younger influencers, it is commonly described as peaceful and pure, with an air of retro-kitsch.

Used by the likes of Acne Studios (above) and Glossier, present-day packaging incorporates this dusky pink, in the hopes of appearing on an influencer’s Instagram page. For if they do, their scope will expand to potentially millions of users.

Additionally, many brands are keeping their packaging simple and clean, to appeal to influencers who prefer clean palettes in their posts. This is evident in such brands as Gucci (below) and Céline.

NEXT: Include inviting or witty messages

2. Include inviting or witty messages

Product packaging is considered a form of marketing, starting with the exterior messages. As a vehicle for communication, many brands are using their packaging to print witty, insightful or playful messaging, ensuring that their customer opens the product with a positive mindset.

One of the most popular methods of communicative packaging is to announce the arrival of the product. Such witty typography includes “good things await you” or “you’ve been expecting me,” innovated by brands like Warby Parker (above). This method is made for unboxing videos, setting the tone for offline content and therefore the portrayal of the product.

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  WestPack 2020: Ideas. Education. New Partners. Feb. 11-13

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Packaging decorated with slogans and phrases don’t just make an announcement, they can also present positive affirmations or tongue-in-cheek jokes—anything that will make the product stand out. This may reflect the brand’s ethos or compliment the customer, making the packaging easily shareable on social media. 

For example, Swish Beverages (below) is an American wine supplier that incorporates internet slang in its packaging, in the hopes of appealing to younger consumers. By printing phrases like “stay basic,” inspired by the insult turned satirical badge of honor commonly used by young women on the internet, the company successfully targets its audience.

NEXT: Make it personal

3. Make it personal

Popular beauty brand Bare Minerals (above) changed the game of foundation when it increased its shade range to suit more customers. It could have stopped there, but instead, it enhanced the packaging to feature the purchaser’s name, adding another layer of personalization to the product.

NEXT: Tout transparent ingredients

4. Tout transparent ingredients

Health-and-wellbeing is a hot trend in the world of marketing, due to the recent explosion of press coverage and media posts on the subject. As such, brands like The Ordinary (above) have capitalized on the consumer’s need for organic products, by labeling the ingredients on the bottle and keeping the packaging clean.

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As new trends surface and old trends die out, the world of packaging is in a constant state of flux. One thing is for sure: The collaboration between social media/online content and product boxes will be prevalent for years to come. To stay ahead of the curve, brands need to embrace the value of quality and innovate new ways to package their products.