What Is Unboxing Videos?
There have been many trends on YouTube over the years, from ice bucket challenges to hot pepper challenges, to the always popular “cats.” Not much to that last one, people just love cats. However, most trends of the past seem to pale in comparison to the widely popular and oddly satisfying trend of “unboxing videos.”
As the name implies, these videos simply showcase ordinary folks unboxing something or other from its original packaging. Sometimes it’s interesting because the item is new and state of the art, hot off the factory assembly line. Sometimes it’s interesting because the item is extremely old. Hidden away for a closet for years, only to see the light of day now. And sometimes, it’s simply not interesting, but they still gain views.
How Popular Are Unboxing Videos?
A quick YouTube search returns thousand, if not hundreds of thousands of videos from people of every age all over the world unboxing everything from toys to electronics to food. One channel, Ryan’s World was featured in a Forbes article a few years ago. The article states that the videos in which Ryan, 7 at the time, were so popular that he made $22 million dollars.
Must just be a kid thing, right? Wrong.
The YouTube channel Unbox Therapy has a following of 17.9 million and caters largely to the tech-hungry consumer. The channel unboxes and reviews tech ranging from phones, gaming consoles, and computer hardware to advanced robotic dogs and even cars.
Why Are Unboxing Videos Popular?
Some viewers watch unboxing videos because they include a review of the product being unboxed. They view the video, watch the review and decide whether or not they are going to purchase the product. Pretty simple right? Yeah, if that was the only reason people watched unboxing videos.
You see, the human brain is a scary, confusing thing. It can build, destroy, reason and feel. The last one is the important piece of the puzzle here.
When you feel excitement or fear or happiness while watching a movie or sporting event, it’s because your brain has fired “mirror neurons” which trick your brain into feeling, in a way, like it was doing the activity that fired the neuron. These neurons are the reason I cry every time I watch Homeward Bound. Nobody else? Just me?
Another reason for the popularity of the videos is in how accessible the products are to a given consumer. Kids make no money. They certainly can’t go out a buy the latest paw patrol playset or Roblox action figure if they can’t even tie their shoes. What’s the next best thing? Watching someone who already has the toy open it and play with it. Similarly, I certainly can’t afford to buy the latest and greatest in technological innovation like an iPad. I can barely afford rent. What’s the next best thing? Watching some rich guy open and use one.
The psychology behind why these videos are so popular is more than simply mirror neurons. According to this article from Psychology Today, which mainly discusses the psychological reasoning as to why kids in particular like unboxing videos, it’s a complex combination of several factors. There’s a social factor, an imagination factor and a biological reward factor that come from watching this type of video. Long story short, these videos can make us happy in a bunch of different ways.
What Are Mystery Boxes?
Mystery boxes add another layer to the psychological puzzle. Now instead of receiving the satisfaction of seeing an unboxed product you knew you wanted, there’s an extra layer of mystery involved. Mystery boxes can come in a number of shapes and sizes, whether they are a themed mystery box sold from a subscription service or other online seller, or they are returned merchandise resold in pallets from the likes of Amazon.
These videos add a whole new layer of excitement to the video. If you bought a new $1,200 iPhone, you know what you’ll be getting in an unboxing video. It’s an iPhone. Now when you buy a mystery box for $5, $10, $100, or even $500,000 like Mr. Beast earlier this month, there’s a risk of not “getting your money’s worth.” There’s a chance of failure. It’s kind of like gambling, but at least you come away with something.
Now is it healthy for kids to watch mystery unboxing videos? For them to receive a mirror neuron rush similar to gambling? Probably not. But there are far worse things out there on the internet for kids to get into.
How to Do Make Unboxing Video
So, you’re interested in contributing to the wide world of unboxing, huh? Well, let’s break down how to make an unboxing video.
The audience for your unboxing video will determine quite a few key components of the video. The product and how you present the product to the audience will both be determined by the audience’s age. Are you trying to appeal to kids? Maybe trying to make your kid’s toys a tax write off? Then the latest and greatest kid’s toys will be the main subject of your videos.
Looking to appeal to the adult audience? Then something only adults would be interested in is probably the way to go. More often than not, these videos are dominated by tech. I mean, what is tech other than toys for adults? The latest laptops, phones, gaming systems, sound systems and more are all guaranteed to generate interest and views from YouTube audiences.
These aren’t the only two categories of unboxing however. You can unbox anything from clothes to action figures to power tools and everything in between.
When unboxing, it’s important to show the camera(s) the various angles of the product. Highlight any new and improved features, compare it to older versions of the product or similar products of the same category. Stuck as far as what to talk about? Take a look on the website of the product and list each feature in the video and give the audience an idea of whether or not each feature lived up to the hype.
Some youtubers utilize a top down camera to get a view similar to a first person POV. Multiple cameras can also give depth and create diversity in the production of the video, but can also be a pain when it comes to editing. And as always, it is important to let your personality shine. People come to unboxing videos to be informed but also to be entertained.
Unboxing videos are one of the longest-running and most popular video trends in the history of YouTube. With the odd psychological reward system behind the popularity of these videos, they seem unlikely to be going anywhere any time soon. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a rich guy unpacking his 17th television this year.
