There’s a chill in the air as the sounds of Christmas music echo everywhere you go, and that can only mean one thing — the holiday season is now in full swing!
From toy unboxings for the kids to tech and beauty unboxings for grown-ups, there’s something universally appealing about unboxing videos, no matter your age or what you’re into. On the other side, brands and marketers love unboxings because they are perfect for building awareness, creating a sense of anticipation, and driving conversions — all the while helping shoppers fine-tune their holiday wish lists.
Why are unboxings so popular?
For the uninitiated, unboxing videos capture the process of opening a new product from a first-person perspective, often with the help of creative editing, fun music, and an engaging online personality, which shows viewers what to expect if they buy the product themselves.
Right now, unboxing videos are seeing a surge in popularity as unboxing views typically increase as much as 1.5x during the holidays — and it’s no wonder why. Unboxings are like a sneak peek, review, and product demo all rolled into one, which makes them irresistible for vicariously experiencing something before you buy.
Unboxings are part of the buying process now
Unboxing videos have already become a critical component of many people’s buying process and they even help drive purchase decisions as 62% of those who watch unboxing videos use them for product research — but that’s not all they’re good for. The structure of unboxing videos creates a stronger emotional connection with viewers (when compared to ads or reviews) because unboxings have an ingrained narrative that takes viewers on a journey with a distinct beginning (unveiling the box), middle (opening the box), and end (interacting with the product).
Beyond that, influencers are seen as more trustworthy, especially compared to more traditional marketing efforts as 69% of consumers say they trust influencers’ recommendations — with the longer someone follows an influencer, the more they trust them. This trust in influencers is a driving factor behind why 66% of marketers say influencer marketing performs similarly or better than brand-created content. Add in the fact that influencer marketing is highly targeted and often much cheaper than traditional marketing, and it’s no wonder why brands are increasingly embracing influencers and unboxings for their ability to turn invested audiences into active consumers.
The 5 most popular unboxing categories
The most popular product categories for unboxings include:
- Toys
- Tech
- Beauty
- Surprise eggs and blind bags
- Subscription boxes
But at the same time, unboxings are a dynamic and flexible category that can include practically anything — especially if it’s a limited or special edition item because people are always curious about rare and expensive finds, even if they’re not going to purchase it themselves.
Now that we have a better understanding of unboxing videos and why people watch them, here are 6 top influencers perfect for holiday unboxings who not only think outside the box but also open it, gently unpack it, and then eagerly show you what’s inside.
6 top influencers to watch for the holidays
We’ve picked a few of our favorite influencers who create effective and unique unboxing videos across a variety of verticals. This list should inspire brands and marketers looking for talent to collaborate with, creators looking to level up their own unboxing videos, and audiences searching for the perfect holiday gift.
1. Coffee Family: One of TikTok’s biggest family creators
The Coffee family are TikTok powerhouses. The father, Jason Coffee, has over 21.6M followers on TikTok (with over 1.2 billion likes), while his daughter Peyton Coffee has 16.1M followers and his son Caleb Coffee has 11.5M followers.
The Coffee Family is also on YouTube, where their main channel has 1.44M subscribers and the Coffee kids also have their own channels, each with over 100K subs.
They’re known for their high-energy, fun family dynamic, and charming prank videos where everyone’s having a good time, and the Coffee family’s posts regularly hit over 1 million views on TikTok. As someone in his early 40s, Jason stands out from your typical TikTok crowd because he’s a shining example that it’s never too late to be a creator.
In one of his most recent posts, Jason plays Hitster, a music game, with Caleb and Peyton. It’s a lightning-quick unboxing, because they quickly proceed to play the game, explaining the rules as they go along, and it makes you feel like you’re right there playing with them. The Coffee Family’s dynamics are perfect for both brands and audiences looking for aspirational family fun content in action.
2. Yuri Lamasbella: Hilarious Kardashian impersonator and beauty influencer
Yuri Lamasbella is a beauty and style influencer with over 4.4M followers on TikTok where her bio proudly proclaims she’s “the LOST Kardashian” — and some of her most popular posts are her hilarious impressions of Khloe, Kourtney, and Kim. In addition to her massive TikTok following, Yuri has 2.4M followers on Instagram and 534K subscribers on YouTube.
Her sense of humor and acting abilities are some of her standout qualities, whether she’s playing ‘Kim K trying to Girl Math her $70M house‘ (watch as she effortlessly switches between the different sisters), unboxing her latest Fashion Nova shopping hauls, or simply annoying her Bahamian boyfriend.
She has worked with massive brands such as AT&T, L’Oreal, Fashion Nova, and De Beers — with her most recent De Beers collab getting over 6.6M views in just over a week!
3. Karen Thi: Award-winning cookie creator and true crime podcaster
Karen Thi is a woman of so many talents. As @bakersmanncookies, she’s a 2x winner of the Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge with over 2.4M followers on TikTok and 65.3K followers on Instagram. In addition to being an amazing, award-winning baker, she also has a true crime and baking podcast called Cookies & Crime as well as Hair Tie Needed, a nature/lifestyle channel on Instagram.
Karen is popular for her gorgeous and artistic cookies that are anything but ‘cookie cutter’ with intricate designs like these ‘disgustingly delicious’ zombie cookies’ with over 1 million views and her gigantic cookie snow globe (that’s 100% edible!) that won her the Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge in 2021.
Karen shares a deep connection with her audience, evidenced by how her Cookies & Crime podcast came about. She originally began posting minutes-long videos of her decorating her cookies as she narrated a gripping true crime story, but it ended up being such a popular mix that she officially launched the Cookies & Crime podcast this summer due to popular demand — complete with branded merch.
She’s collaborated with huge brands like Microsoft and she’s also done cookie unboxings where she shares her favorite way to enjoy them. And who better than to advocate for a cookie unboxing than the award-winning cookie connoisseur?
4. Nicesetupdude: Home, office, and tech inspo for guys
Colin Smith, aka nicesetupdude or NSD Media, is one of the best creators for taking your home office or gaming setups to the next level. There is definitely beauty in tech and design, and you can tell Colin has an appreciation for it all with his sharp eye for detail that can really tie a room together — and with over 154K followers on Instagram and almost 10K on TikTok, he has a sizeable audience that agrees.
Along with his technical expertise and hardware know-how, he will help you (or the men in your life) stay productive, stylish, and, most importantly, comfortable, with his clean, minimalist aesthetic with zero clutter.
It’s a stereotype that many men don’t care about interior design or decorating their spaces (think of the cliched messy ‘bachelor pad’ with dirty dishes piled up in the sink, unwashed laundry thrown about, and a mattress on the floor with no bed) but Colin will help you add a touch of class and elegance to your apartment, office, or man cave.
One of his most popular posts, with almost 1 million views, is his beautiful office setup featuring a brand new double-display with everything within arms reach.
Following Colin might actually make you proud enough to show off your real background in your next Zoom meeting — no more fake background necessary — and his beautiful unboxing videos only add to the chill vibe!
5. Zoe Lee: Fashionable mom and content creator
Zoe Lee is an LA-based creator who frequently features her family, outfits, and everyday life on her socials. She’s also a fashion stylist, nurse, and mother of two who’s fluent in Korean with over 443.9K followers on her zoeandjoon TikTok account. She also goes by @aboutzoelee on Instagram) and [YouTube.
While Zoe is the influencer of the family, her young son Joon is quickly becoming known in his own right, often co-starring in his mom’s content while bringing his signature adorableness. But Zoe’s entire family is quite stylish as evidenced in this family outfit vlog that has over 5.5M views.
Zoe’s latest unboxing is perfect for any fans of Korean cuisine as she tries out the Kkini Kit, a microwaveable home meal replacement set that will have you eating delicious Korean food in as little as 20 minutes — no recipe or cooking required! As a young and busy mother of two, she’s always looking for ways to make daily tasks more efficient, easy, and simple, which makes her the perfect partner for showcasing time-saving products and parenting hacks with her large following of women in the coveted 18 to 34-year-old age range.
6. Dani DMC: Big-girl-approved beauty and fashion
Dani DMC is a content creator, plus-size model, and confidence activist — and if you’re wondering what ‘confidence activist’ means, then check out her TikTok account (which has over 312K followers) where she states, “size is not a limitation, it’s an accessory”. She definitely embodies a sense of self-assuredness because, regardless of her outfit, she always effortlessly pulls off any look.
She affectionately refers to her audience and fans as ‘big body baddies’ and she’s great at brand collaborations and partnerships related to fashion and beauty because she’s not shy about letting you know whether it’s ‘big girl approved’.
Dani is also active on Instagram and YouTube, where she has an additional 551K and 498K followers, respectively. She’s done unboxings for the Klassy Network where she models a variety of different looks and in the video below, she gives you some fall fashion inspo with her latest jacket haul.
Many plus-size people can relate to the challenge of finding clothes that fit due to inconsistent sizing between brands, but Dani is great about being open about what she’s trying on so viewers can get a better idea of how it looks in real life, whether it’s a US Size 12, XXL, or somewhere in between. Her transparency in addition to her work as a confidence activist has built a dedicated and engaged fanbase who trust her brand suggestions and styling recommendations.
Think outside the box this holiday season with Viral Nation
You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on these noteworthy creators — you never know what they’ll unveil next. For brands looking for interesting ways to cut through the holiday mania and get some last-minute campaigns in before it’s too late, working with creators like the ones above are perfect due to their quick turnarounds and massive built-in audiences. In fact, unboxing searches peak in the US in the week leading up to Christmas and Boxing Day.
So whether you’re looking for gift inspo for the people on your list who are impossible to buy for, want to keep up with the latest holiday trends, or get the word out and build some buzz, Viral Nation has the talent and expertise to make your holiday wishes come true.
The Viral Nation Talent team represents over 800+ creators and influencers across 35 content verticals. If you’re interested in influencer marketing for your next campaign, please contact us today.
