Innovative Unboxing Experiences Start with Multisensory Special Effects

Innovative ideas are often described as the result of thinking “outside the box.” But when it comes to creating an extraordinary experience for e-commerce customers, many online brands could benefit from a better inside-the-box strategy.

In an era when the so-called “unboxing experience” is a source of so much social media enthusiasm – including a reported 60 million hours of unboxing videos uploaded to YouTube – you can’t overlook the viral marketing opportunities that creative packaging can bring.

In a recent issue of PostPress, print industry influencer Vicki Strull made the case for investing more effort into the unboxing experience.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of physical things in a progressively online world,” Strull says, citing unboxing experiences as one of the biggest challenges facing the packaging industry. “Everything is so beautifully presented and curated online that the arrival of the actual product can be a letdown unless the unboxing experience matches or exceeds the online experience.”

Multisensory Effects Put the “Experience” into the Unboxing Experience

The difference between opening a box and having an “unboxing experience?” It’s all about the sensory details. That’s what makes multisensory print marketing so effective. With the addition of wrapping, packaging or promotional inserts embellished with glitter, textures, scent, and hidden reveals, ordinary boxes are transformed into a memorable experience evoking a sense of luxury, nostalgia, glamour or excitement – or whatever mood you’re trying to set.

Used in combination, multisensory special effects can be used to:

• Spread brand loyalty
• Encourage social media sharing
• Generate repeat sales
• Reinforce the value of your brand

Use Your Imagination to Create an Unboxing Experience Like No Other

Here are just a few examples of packaging embellishments we have created for everything from candles to candy to cosmetics. Not to mention tacos.

By including a collection of sample scent cards in the box, a candle manufacturer created an unboxing experience that combined two experiences in one: the Christmas morning-like joy of unwrapping a new candle and the fun of sniff-shopping for the next one

With its limited edition scented wrapping paper, Taco Bell energized its fan base around the fun of seven-layer gift giving with wrapping paper that smelled like taco ingredients; The promotion sold out as fast as tacos on a Tuesday

A skin care product manufacturer used chromic printing to create a before-and-after effect on its packaging

An array of adult beverage brands have incorporated special effects promotions into their packaging and advertising, from a “SnapShot” hidden message promotion, to the use of scented recipe cards to inspire brand loyalty and cocktail parties

Partner with H&H for Special Effects Printing that Won’t Disappoint

Make the experience of unboxing your product as memorable as the products themselves with the addition of high-quality special effects like textures, scent, glow-in-the-dark and printing that creates hidden messages or images revealed via heat, water or light. We can also create high-quality promotional pull-tab and scratch-off tickets you can use to offer prizes and discounts that drive repeat purchases.

When you partner with H&H Graphics, you get decades of experience in high-quality special effects printing and a fearless R&D team who can transform your imagination into one-of-kind, multisensory unboxing experiences your customers can’t wait to share.

Contact us to learn more about our work, including multisensory packaging projects for the world’s biggest and best-known brands.