TikTok Unboxing: Luxury Brands’ Secret (and Low-Cost) Marketing Weapon

Part 1: The Rise of TikTok Unboxing

In the age of TikTok, luxury marketing looks very different. Gone are the days when only glossy ads and runway shows held sway – now, a Gen Z TikToker in sweatpants can unbox a Louis Vuitton bag in a 30-second clip and capture Gen Z’s attention. These unboxing videos – where creators reveal and react to a newly acquired product on camera – have become a must-have format for high-end labels. In fact, TikTok’s #unboxing hashtag has over 45 billion views since 2018, roughly five times the global population. This statistic alone hints at the scale: it’s as if every person on Earth watched 5 luxury unboxing videos.

This isn’t just hype. According to research, TikTok has over 1.12 billion global users (with about 170 million in the US) and an average engagement rate above 5% (far higher than Instagram or Facebook). Young affluent consumers now trust peer content more than billboards. Gen Z’s trust in fashion is built in 30-second videos, not storefronts. Crucially, luxury brands have woken up to TikTok: Dior, Gucci, Prada and others are actively gifting products to influencers to create these viral unboxings. For example, Chanel despite never posting on TikTok ranks in the top 10 most-discussed luxury labels on the platform, largely through user content. Savvy brands like Mulberry are “moving into TikTok unboxing videos” as a strategy. The result? Massive reach with minimal spend.

And here’s the thing: brands don’t have to figure this out alone. Platforms like JoinBrands give you direct access to creators who specialize in these viral unboxings, making it easy to turn a single gifted product into millions of organic impressions.

Part 2: What is “Unboxing” and Why Does It Work?

At its core, an unboxing video is a mini-story: a creator opens a package, explores the item, and reacts, often with raw surprise and excitement. Psychologists note that we’re hardwired to crave answers to suspenseful questions. Watching a sealed box keeps us curious, and opening it releases a burst of dopamine. One expert explains unboxing’s appeal as “the thrill is in the anticipation of opening the box”. In other words, it’s literally as fun as a birthday present.

Creators confirm this visceral impact. Gabrielle Ragsale, a 20-year-old fashion student, says “I love the process of unboxing – it’s kind of like Christmas”. Another viewer, Khandon James, recalls how seeing the very first iPhone unboxing “gave me a feel for the product and made me want it”. These genuine “first reactions” are far more powerful than polished ads. The authenticity is magnified when micro- or nano-influencers do the unboxing: they speak directly to the camera (breaking the fourth wall) and simulate friendship with viewers. 

From a financial perspective, unboxing represents a highly valuable opportunity. The format is wildly cost-effective: a brand often only needs to gift a product (worth, say, a few thousand dollars), and in return gets millions of organic impressions. For example, when Louis Vuitton released its new Neverfull Inside Out bag, it gifted influencers like Brigette Pheloung the handbag (retail ~£1,690–2,280) to unbox on TikTokcorq.studiocorq.studio. Pheloung’s video then drove over 2.7 million views – roughly the entire population of Chicago. If those views had come from paid ads at even a modest $0.01 per view, it would cost ~$27,000; instead LV’s cost was just the bag itself. 

No wonder observers conclude these campaigns are “low-budget, high-returns marketing strategy[s]”. One creator, Mira Al-Momani, puts it bluntly: “It’s very clever on the [brands’] part to gift product. With a gift and no expectation, I’m so grateful… I have the thrill that those who watch unboxings feel. So, I’m likely to post”. From a brand perspective, that authentic endorsement is priceless, far more trusted than a staged commercial.

Content creator Audrey Peters revealed a designer bag on TikTok. She reported “unboxing content is my best-performing content on TikTok” – after one viral handbag video hit 1M views, her profile engagement jumped 140%.

This is where JoinBrands helps brands scale what LV did manually: identify the right creators, ship products, and ensure those moments of raw excitement reach the right audiences.

Part 3: Luxury Case Studies

Several luxury labels have already proved this formula. In 2023, Dior’s biggest TikTok hit wasn’t a staged ad at all, but footage of Jaadiee, a grandfather influencer, doing an unboxing to hip-hop music. The video racked up unprecedented engagement, and Jaadiee even got invited to Dior’s fashion show. Similarly, Louis Vuitton’s Q4 campaign focused on influencer gifting, not celebrity ads. Its partnered creators (like Pheloung) sparked far more buzz than LV’s Sophie Turner celebrity launch. In fact, analysts noted LV’s influencer-driven campaign “sparked a conversation and is introducing the bag to a new generation. That’s the power of TikTok and smart gifting activation”.

Audiences noticed the difference. When a lot of luxury brands were saturated with ads, TikTok viewers were paying attention to real people’s reactions instead. After LV’s influencer push, even owners of the original Neverfull started showing off their bags again – “dusting off their purses” because the style suddenly felt relevant and trendy. And it wasn’t just one-off successes. Brands from Gucci to Mulberry are tapping into unboxing. (Savanta reports that “Mulberry are moving into TikTok unboxing videos” to reach younger luxury buyers.) The trend extends beyond bags: luxury cosmetics and accessories see exploding interest in “haul” and unboxing clips.

JoinBrands make it possible to replicate this formula systematically, helping brands run multiple gifting campaigns with hundreds of influencers at once.

Part 4: The Why – Psychological and ROI Wins

Engagement: Unboxing taps into the “goal-directed behavior” of our dopamine-driven brains. We can’t resist clicking to see the reveal. It’s storytelling in fast-forward: setup (package arrives), tension (what’s inside?), and payoff (the big reveal). Each reveal also doubles as a tutorial or review, helping viewers evaluate the product. In one survey, 84% of viewers said unboxing videos helped them decide on a purchase. (In luxury, where purchase hesitation is high, that’s huge.)

Authenticity: Luxury brands are often perceived as remote or “aspirational walls.” Unboxing tears down that wall. Viewers feel like they’re on the shopping trip with a friend. Psychology Today notes that we form parasocial bonds with unboxers, feeling as if we “know” them. Compared to slick ads, raw footage “makes luxury relatable”. TikTok’s own insight team emphasizes that Gen Z treats brands as characters in their story, they want realness. Gifting a product to a creator lets a brand become part of someone’s authentic narrative, reaping earned media value at no media spend. 

Cost-Effectiveness: Compare the budgets. A luxury handbag (let’s say $3,000 retail) might be gifted to 10 influencers for a total outlay of $30,000. If each unboxing video draws 100K–1M views, that’s millions of impressions. By contrast, traditional digital ads to reach 1M people might cost $15K–$50K per campaign (and still lack engagement). Essentially, brands exchange a few free samples for organic content that can outperform expensive ads. Even creators see the value and they buy their own items to film their reveal, because unboxings do so much better than other content. It gets them so many followers and so much engagement, for their next partnership they can charge more. 

In short, luxury unboxing is a high-ROI tactic: minimal cash outlay (just the product cost) nets huge visibility and authentic endorsements. JoinBrands gives data on reach, engagement, and even sales uplift, proving the value of campaigns. Brands shouldn’t ignore the secondary benefits, either: these campaigns generate social proof, boost online chatter and even drive store traffic. TikTok data indicates viewers who find something on video will seek it out in person. 

Part 5: Key Takeaways for Brands

• Lean into gifting, not just paid posts. The smartest brands shift budget from traditional ads to gifting programs and UGC. The brands pushing the boat out and delivering native, human content are really reaping the rewards. High-end houses should keep surprise unboxings in their toolkit.
  
• Pick authentic creators. Micro- and mid-tier TikTokers often outperform big celebs because their fans believe them. Let creators tell their story with your product.
  
• Optimize for trend culture. Timing and creative format matter. Use trending music/sounds, and encourage engaging unboxing formats (quick reveals, revealing features, etc.). Provide branded packaging or signature reveal quirks to make videos instantly recognisable.
  
• Measure the full impact. Track views, engagement and even offline effects. TikTok’s platform offers metrics, and some tools now tie social posts to sales lift. Treat views like footfall: thousands of views can equal a busy store day.
  
• Share the spotlight. Repost top unboxing clips on your channels (TikTok and Instagram Reels) to amplify reach. This cross-posting boosts credibility (people love when brands share creator content) and extends campaign life.
  

By embracing TikTok-style authenticity, luxury marketers turn cost centres (product samples) into powerful content vehicles. Rather than relying on expensive production, unboxing harnesses story, spectacle and social proof. JoinBrands makes this playbook easy to execute, whether it’s one surprise unboxing or a hundred, you can scale campaigns without scaling your team.

Imagine it this way: a $2,000 designer bag gifted once yields more attention than 10 pricey ad campaigns. It’s like using a microscope instead of a megaphone, targeting niche passion points yields broader buzz. 

Part 6: Bringing It All Together

As TikTok continues to evolve, luxury brands must evolve with it. Unboxing videos are not a fad; they tap into fundamental human psychology (curiosity, narrative, authenticity) while delivering measurable marketing impact. When a Dior grandpa’s video can eclipse a glossy ad or Louis Vuitton’s tactful gifting strategy revives a classic tote, the lesson is clear: Content is king, and authentic content reigns supreme.

For luxury marketers looking to scale this approach, platforms like JoinBrands can help orchestrate campaigns. JoinBrands connects brands with vetted TikTok creators and streamlines large-scale gifting collaborations. In practice, that means a brand can run an entire TikTok influencer campaign – from talent discovery to content tracking – through one platform. The result is efficiency and consistency: even small teams can manage hundreds of influencers, ensuring every unboxing is on-brand and data is captured.

Sign up today for free today and let your audience unbox your next big marketing win.