User:10000BL/Unboxing notes

Article 1: Unboxing - the Youtube phenomenon that lets you see what you're getting

Retrieved: 3 march 2016

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2014/jul/21/unboxing-youtube-phenomenon-videos-unpackaging-toys

Notes:

• Numerous channels dealing with unboxing, a very populair channel is DisneyCollectorBR. Shows unboxing of toys.
• Unboxing: I-could-have-done-that-million-dollar venture. Unboxing is essentially filming yourself opening boxes of toys or gadgets, uploading it to Youtube (and make money with it).
• presentation both anonymous (for example only the hands are visible unpacking) or in person (person guides you physically in the process of unboxing).
• Weirdly hypnotic
• origin in gadget and fashion world. This article is focussed on unboxing toys and how it attracts children as an audience.
• Vloggers unbox everything from xboxes to video games, phones, clothing, trainers, coffee machines or uggs. Even reptiles.
• Consumers get a preview of what they're buying. Useful to see what comes in the box.
• quote: 'if it's for sale, someone is probably unboxing it on youtube'.
• Ty porn & Vicarious thrills from opening new gear vs practical reasons to watch (product information etc).
• quote: 'Even as adults, we still evidently squirm at the excitement of opening a brand new toy'.

Article 2: The bizarre, lucrative world of 'unboxing' videos

Retrieved: 3 march 2016

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/13/tech/web/youtube-unboxing-videos/

Notes:

• 'Unboxing' videos are a growing and suprisingly lucrative genre on Youtube.
• The videos show everything from electronics to small animals being removed from boxes.
• There are 6.5 years worth of Youtube videos with 'unboxing' in the title.
• Unboxers can earn up to $4 per 1000 views.
• Volume of unboxing videos boomed in recent years.
• Easy to make, surprisingly hypnotic to watch.
• Topics: (expensive) gadgets (Iphone, Xbox etc), Toys, Make-up.
• If you can buy it, there's probably an unboxing video of it.
• Since 2010 the number of Youtube clips with 'unboxing' in the headline has increased with 871%. Popular and made all over the world.
• Creators get paid per monitized view. Smart usage of popular google-terms to make the video more 'searchable' through observation Google Ad Words and Youtube search's auto suggest.
• Buy products, and/or send them back or get freebees from companies to cover their products.
• Different styles of unboxing: unique style, show own personality as a brand, only hands, use of music and tunes etc.
• Why does it attract viewers:

1. Practical, these videos give an unvarnished and honest peek at commercial products. Sho what the pure product is, without the sauce of advertisement of the companies who makes them. It gives honest information about a product and shows everything of the product (more than usually is squeezed in an commercial from a company itself).
2. unboxing videoas are satisfying and enjoyable to watch. Unpacking gifts gives pleasure feelings.
3. Parents let theri kids watch for the entertaining value. The parents might not be able to buy the toys, but the kids can dream about it. Kids like the mystery of unboxing.

Article 3: How YouTube became a playground for toy marketers through ‘unboxing’ videos

Retrieved: 3 march 2016

Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20141219/how-youtube-became-a-playground-for-toy-marketers-through-unboxing-videos

Notes:

• Genre 'Toy unboxing': where toys are displayed, opened and played with in tight close-up with voice-over narration explaining how the toy works (channel DisneyCollectorBR).
• It's the excitement of something new.
• Unboxing channels amongst the most popular ones (3 out 5 most popular).
• On youtube you see commercials being played before the video someone wants to see. Often this commercial is clicked away (when possible), muted or somebody is doing something else when commercial is played. The most effective way to advertise a product is to put the product inside the video. By paying Youtube stars to implicitly or explicitly endorse their products, the content becomes the ad. 'The brands have become smarter, they have started integrating the product into the script.'
• Branded entertainment/content marketing: when companies produce videos and other media that promote their brand.
• Might be more cheaper for brands to work with vloggers to get their products being more popular than making expensives commercials themselves. Vloggers have a lot of goodwill and are trusted by their viewers.
• Kids like it because it is fun to watch and it makes you think what you want to get for Christmas.

Article 4: Why Are We Obsessed With 'Unboxing' Videos?

Retrieved: 3 march 2016

Source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/72336/why-are-we-obsessed-unboxing-videos

Notes:

• The world of unboxing, where products get unwrapped and orn from their packages and shown to an online audience.
• Predecessors are 'Haul videos' in which adults showcase the stuff they buy during a shopping spree and 'Geekporn videos' which shows the unboxing of personal tech devices.
• Unboxing is different: adults unwrapping kids' toys. Sounds like if they are playing with the kids.
• What makes them popular:

1. according to psychologists unboxing videos feed into primal curiosity and desire to know what's hidden inside something. The desire to be surprised might be part of our essential makeup. The human brain is wired to be curious, we have a natural proclivity to know (Pamela Rutledge, director of the media psychology research center). Unboxing is in essence not new, think of gumball machines, cereal boxes with surprise gadgets, football cards etc.
2. For young viewers unboxing might serve/acts as a cognitive experience and a reassurance mechanism. Kids like to hear the same story over and over again, this might be the same for unboxing.
3. Exploratory event, information from products before purchasing themselves. Like how-to videos, exploratory learning process.
4. More real than commercials by companies.
5. Level of surprise, imagination, building, thinking, creativity, problem solving might all be involved in unboxing.